Outstanding Young Alumni and Distinguished Alumni

Darla I. Olson
B.S. 1993
Conferred 2000 (updated June 2004)
Darla is a science teacher and the head coach for the girls’ varsity basketball program at Baraga Area Schools. Prior to that she was MTU’s head women’s basketball coach from 1998-2003.

Darla was a part of the highly successful women’s basketball program since starting her own playing career in 1988. She spent five seasons (1988-1993) as a player participating in Michigan Tech’s first three appearances in the NCAA Division II Championships and a visit to the NCAA II Final Four in 1993.

After coaching at the high school level, then at the University of Nebrask-Omaha, she was named Tech’s head coach in 1998. During that first season, Olson was named the 1998-99 GLIAC coach of the year, after her team won both the regular season and tournament championships and finished the year with a 28-3 record. The team also advanced to the “sweet 16” in the NCAA tournament.

Under Olson’s leadership, the team continued to launch stellar campaigns, including playing host to the Great Lakes Regional in 2000/2001 for the second time in school history. The Huskies finished that season with a 26-4 overall record, and claimed the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference North Division crown and the GLIAC Tournament championship.

Olson continued on a winning streak at MTU until leaving collegiate coaching after the 2002-03 season in order to spend more time with her family. The 2002-03 team completed its 15th consecutive winning season with a 15-13 record and advanced to the postseason for the 13th straight time as the Huskies finished their 28th campaign on the hardwood.