Shane Clipfell joined the Western Michigan women’s basketball program on April, 13, 2012, as its sixth head coach.
Since Clipfell has arrived in Kalamazoo, the Broncos have won 17 or more games five times and have captured seven or more Mid-American Conference victories in eight individual seasons. Clipfell is one of three WMU women’s basketball coaches to surpass 125 wins in Kalamazoo and is third on the program’s all-time coaching wins list. He enters the 2023-24 season with 160 wins and is 19 victories behind all-time leader Fran Ebert (179 wins, 1967-82).
This past year during the 2022-23 season, the Broncos captured a 12-17 record (7-11 MAC record) and marked the eighth time in Clipfell's tenure that the Brown and Gold would capture 12 wins or more in a single season. The Broncos would finish in a tie for 7th in the MAC at the end of the 2022-23 campaign. During the season, Clipfell guided Taylor Williams and Lauren Ross to 411 and 371 points respectively. Under Clipfell's guidance and coaching, Williams and Ross would end the year with the 22nd and 23rd most points scored in a single season.
The 2021-22 season showed a 16-14 overall record for Western Michigan, including a 10-10 showing against MAC opponents. Clipfell's squad finished 7th overall in the MAC and were bested by the eventual MAC champion Buffalo Bulls in the first round. The highlight of the season came in non-conference play, when the Broncos caught fire and rattled off five consecutive victories before coming up just short on the road against the tenth-ranked Indiana Hoosiers. WMU also captured its first clean sweep in the Battle of Michigan since the 1995-96 season, beating both Eastern Michigan and Central Michigan in each of the four matchups. The season also serves as the sixth time in eight seasons that a Bronco team has finished with a record of .500 or better, and the team's 6-2 start is tied for the best record through eight games since 1998-99.
Clipfell found strong play early in the 21-22 campaign in redshirt freshman Lauren Ross, who had a breakout season for WMU after a season-ending knee injury the season prior. Clipfell guided Ross to All-MAC Freshman and Third Team All-MAC honors, and also became the first Bronco in Clipfell's tenure to score 37+ points in a win since 2005-06. Furthermore, Clipfell's team posted an emphatic 105 points at home against Olivet College, which is good for sixth-most by any Bronco team in program history. Another member of Clipfell's squad etched her name in the WMU history books in 2021-22 as well, thanks to 11 single-game steals by Gabi Saxman, which is the most by any WMU player in one game throughout program history.
Perhaps most impressively, Clipfell's band turned in a whopping 10 Academic All-MAC selections, which doubles the previous program record of five. The crew posted a team GPA of 3.49 for the Fall 2021 semester with five individual 4.0's, and 3.72 for the Spring 2022 semester with seven individual 4.0's, coming out to a total GPA for the 2021-22 academic year of 3.61 with a total of 12 different individual 4.0 GPA's throughout the year.
In 2020-21, the team finished 6-15 overall, going 5-14 in Mid-American Conference play while in the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic. The Broncos finished 9th overall in the MAC and missed the conference tournament.
The season was highlighted by an historic performance from Taylor Williams, who posted a 30-point, 21-rebound outing at home against the Akron Zips. Williams was one of just three players across all NCAA Division I programs to accomplish the feat. The highlight of the year from a team standpoint came in the form of three consecutive wins in February over Kent State, Eastern Michigan, and Northern Illinois.
His 2019-20 team finished 18-13 with a 10-8 MAC mark to finish third in the league’s West Division. The 10 league wins, tied for the ninth most in program history, marked the Broncos’ most since 11 in 2014-15 and just the second double-digit league win total under Clipfell.
The squad posted 10 home wins for the first time since the 2014-15 season, and just the fourth time since 2003. The Broncos lost just four home games by a total of 16 points. Western Michigan defeated No. 12 seed Bowling Green 84-67 in the first round of the MAC tournament to advance to Cleveland for the quarterfinals at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
Three-point shooting aided the Broncos as they set the program record for threes made in a campaign with 225. WMU’s 15 threes against BGSU are tied for the second most in a game in program history. The Broncos also drilled 13 threes against Ohio on January 15, tied for the fifth most in a Western Michigan game.
The year was highlighted by Breanna Mobley becoming the program’s career leader in rebounds (1,050) and receiving second team All-MAC accolades. Mobley’s 342 rebounds in 2019-20 set the program single-season record and her 37 blocks are the ninth most in a year by a Bronco. Clipfell guided Mobley to top-five finishes on the WMU record charts in blocked shots (third/120), field goal percentage (fourth/0.537), free throws made (fourth/375), points (fifth/1,679) and field goals made (fifth/652). Jordan Walker joined Mobley with all-league accolades in 2019-20, earning a place on the third team. Walker finished the year with 495 points, tied for the ninth most in a year in program history, and 66 threes, the 11th most by a Bronco during a season.
Clipfell’s team battled injuries throughout the 2018-19 season and finished 10-20 with a 4-13 ledger against MAC foes. The Broncos took fifth in the MAC West Division and ended their season in the opening round of the MAC tournament, falling to Northern Illinois, 70-69.
Three members of the Brown & Gold were named to the Academic All-MAC team with Logan McCane, Meredith Miller and Kamrin Reed. Deja Wimby earned a spot on the league’s honorable mention and all-defensive teams.
During the 2017-18 campaign, Western Michigan and Clipfell notched their fourth consecutive year with 17 or more victories, going 18-15 overall and 9-9 in league play. Clipfell earned his 100th career victory with an 87-36 win against Goshen College on December 19, 2017. The Broncos finished third in the MAC West and made their second straight trip to the conference tournament semifinals after upsetting No. 3 seed Ball State, 85-53. The Brown & Gold defeated Bowling Green in the first round, giving Clipfell his sixth straight season with a conference tournament victory.
As a team, WMU scored the third-most points in school history (2,306) and grabbed the sixth-most rebounds (1,258). The Broncos also ranked fifth on the single-season field goals made (852) chart and check in sixth in three-point field goals (178) and eighth in made free throws (426).
Clipfell led a program-record five student-athletes to Academic All-MAC honors with Marly Hill, Najee Smith, Miller, Reed and Emma VanZanten while Mobley was an All-MAC honorable mention selection.
The 2016-17 Broncos went 19-13 overall and pieced together a 10-game winning streak. The 19 wins were just two shy of the program’s single-season record and the 10-game winning streak is the fourth longest by a Bronco squad.
For the first time under Clipfell, and first time since 2003, Western Michigan reached the MAC tournament semifinals. The Broncos defeated Miami 73-66 in the first round before erasing a six-point deficit with 1:20 to play to come back and top No. 1 seed Central Michigan 67-63 in the quarterfinals. As a team, WMU scored the then sixth-most points in school history (2,207) and sixth-most made field goals (823).
Clipfell coached three student-athletes who earned postseason All-MAC awards, as Meredith Shipman and Mobley were third team picks and Wimby was a defensive team honoree. Mobley was also named to the All-MAC Tournament Team.
Shipman was part of Clipfell’s first recruiting class. The guard is now found all over the Bronco record book, ranking tied for third in free-throw percentage (.814), fourth in three pointers made (177), eighth in three-point field goal percentage (.348), 12th in assists (285) and 14th in steals (159). She also holds the record for three-pointers made in a game with nine at Toledo on January 9, 2016.
Mobley finished with 12 double-doubles on the season while averaging 14.8 points and 10.2 rebounds and shooting .574 from the floor during conference play. Wimby finished with the most steals in MAC play (52) and averaged 14.0 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.9 steals in league contests.
Clipfell’s players were also getting it done in the classroom as Shipman, Miller and McCane were named to the Academic All-MAC Team. Shipman earned additional accolades as a MAC Distinguished Scholar Athlete.
In Clipfell’s fourth season, the Broncos finished 17-15 overall and 8-10 in the MAC. University Arena treated the program well in 2015-16 with a 9-5 record and 7-0 beginning to the home campaign. Jessica Jessing was named All-MAC honorable mention while Jessing and Alex Morton were MAC Distinguished Scholar Athletes.
The Broncos’ three-point game was key to the team’s success as WMU finished second in the MAC in three-point shooting (.344) and led the league in three-point field goal defense (.283). Shipman led the team in scoring at 11.0 points per game and hit 76 threes, fourth most in WMU history.
In 2014-15, Western Michigan posted a 20-13 overall record - one victory shy of the school record set in 1978 - and just the fourth 20-win season in school history. WMU went 11-7 during MAC play, finishing tied for second in the MAC West. The Broncos also won two games in the MAC tournament for first time since 2003, defeating Bowling Green and Central Michigan.
The success was rewarded as Western Michigan received a postseason bid, facing Arkansas State in the WNIT. It was the program’s fourth WNIT trip, joining the 1999, 2000 and 2004 squads.
WMU ranked 35th in the nation in scoring defense - only allowing 57.4 points per game - and 34th in field-goal percentage defense, holding opponents to 36.7 percent from the floor. Miracle Woods was named second team All-MAC for the second straight season after pacing the MAC and ranking 36th in the nation in field goal percentage, shooting 51.4 percent.
Western Michigan posted the most wins for the program since 2007-08 with a 13-18 overall record and 8-10 MAC mark in 2013-14. The Broncos took fourth in the MAC West and improved their overall and league victory totals by two from Clipfell’s first season. The Broncos also improved their seeding by two from the previous year in the MAC tournament, earning a first round home game as the No. 7 seed. Western Michigan downed Miami, 82-72, to make its second straight trip to Cleveland, a first since 2006-08.
During the MAC season, Western Michigan went 6-3 at University Arena and suffered five of its league losses by less than 10 points. WMU’s offense improved significantly, averaging 68.1 points per game in 2013-14 during MAC games, nearly 13 more than the season before.
For the second straight year, the low post duo of Woods and Marquisha Harris earned recognition from the conference. Woods was named second team All-MAC, becoming the first Bronco since 2008 to pick up the accolade, and Harris was an honorable mention All-MAC pick.
The 2012-13 season marked the beginning of the Clipfell era at Western Michigan, as he took on the task of rebuilding the Broncos. Progress could be seen across the board as the team improved to 11-20 overall and 7-11 in the MAC, marking the most overall and conference wins in five years. The squad also advanced to the second round of the MAC tournament for the first time since 2008. A signature win for the Broncos was a 55-54 victory over then eight-time defending regular season MAC champion Bowling Green in Kalamazoo. Two Broncos were recognized for their play by the conference with Harris an honorable mention All-MAC honoree and Woods earning a spot on the All-MAC Freshman Team.
Clipfell’s totals set a new mark for the most overall wins (11) and MAC wins (7) as a first-year head coach at Western Michigan. He also became the first women’s basketball coach to win his first game at WMU (defeated American, 57-53) and win a MAC tournament game in his first season.
In his 14 years prior to Western Michigan, Clipfell worked in different capacities on Suzy Merchant’s staff. He began with Merchant as an assistant at Eastern Michigan during the 1998-99 season and coached alongside her at Michigan State for five years after Merchant took the Spartan helm in 2007-08. For the final three years, Clipfell served as the associate head coach at Michigan State, coordinating the program’s recruiting efforts. Clipfell also focused on MSU’s offensive game preparation, in-game adjustments and skill development of perimeter players. The Spartans captured their first outright Big Ten title in school history in 2010-11 and advanced to four consecutive NCAA Tournaments.
While Clipfell was at Michigan State, the Spartans produced 17 All-Big Ten and 20 Academic All-Big Ten selections. Kalisha Keane was the Big Ten Player of the Year in 2010-11, after earning Sixth Player of the Year the season prior. The Spartans had back-to-back Defensive Players of the Year in Alyssa DeHaan (2009-10) and Lykendra Johnson (2010-11). Keane and DeHaan were named All-Americans and DeHaan finished her career second all-time in NCAA history in blocked shots.
In the nine seasons at Eastern Michigan the Eagles compiled a record of 160-103 (.608), including three 20-win seasons, three postseason appearances and two MAC West Division titles. The 2003-04 team claimed the MAC West Division and MAC tournament championship for the first time in school history, earning the program’s first bid to the NCAA Tournament en route to a 22-8 record.
Clipfell was the acting head coach at Eastern Michigan for all but four games of the 2006-07 season, while Merchant was on maternity leave. He guided the Eagles to a 13-12 record and a second place finish in the MAC West with an 11-6 record. For his efforts, Clipfell received votes for MAC Coach of the Year. Individually, Sarah VanMetre became EMU’s first women’s basketball player to be named an Academic All-American, Patrice McKinney was named MAC Defensive Player of the Year and Alyssa Pittman was named MAC Freshman of the Year.
Clipfell, born August 29, 1963, earned a bachelor of science degree in communications at Eastern Michigan in 2006. Before Clipfell became a full-time collegiate coach, he worked in the manufacturing industry. Clipfell and his wife, Connie, have two adult children, John and Lauren.
