Heather Oesterle


Heather Oesterle is a former collegiate basketball player who is currently an assistant coach for the Stanford Cardinal women's basketball team. Previously, she was the head coach of the Central Michigan and the strategic program director of Notre Dame women's basketball teams. Oesterle was named CMU's head women's basketball coach in July, 2019, succeeding her long-time mentor Sue Guevara. Oesterle served for nine seasons on Guevara's staff at CMU, helping lead the program to unprecedented heights including three Mid-American Conference championships, two MAC Tournament titles, and five MAC West Division crowns. She earned her bachelor's degree in kinesiology from Michigan in 2002 and her master's degree in sports studies from Miami in 2008.

Playing career

She played four years under head coach Sue Guevara at Michigan from 1998 to 2002.

Michigan statistics

Source
YearTeamGPPointsFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
1998–99Michigan218033.3%14.3%79.2%2.20.70.90.13.8
1999–00Michigan2711142.1%41.4%86.4%2.31.30.50.34.1
2000–01Michigan2718838.1%34.0%70.4%4.82.61.30.47.0
2001–02Michigan2710331.9%22.6%76.0%4.02.21.20.23.8
Career10248236.5%28.7%76.0%3.41.81.00.34.7

Coaching career

Early in her coaching career she was an assistant at Stanford before coming to the MAC as assistant at Miami and Northern Illinois. She joined Guevara's staff at Central Michigan in 2012 where she remained until Guevara's retirement.

Central Michigan

On July 12, 2019, Oesterle was announced as the new head coach of the Central Michigan women's basketball program. In her first season the Chippewas won the regular season championship with a 15–1 MAC record. They were upset in the MAC tournament prior to its cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic and their hopes in the postseason were dashed by the cancellation of the NCAA tournament In 2021, her team won the MAC tournament with a 77–72 win over Bowling Green. They lost to Iowa in the first round of the NCAA tournament. After seasons with single digit wins in her final two years she was fired April 6, 2023.

Notre Dame

On September 7, 2023, Oesterle was announced as Notre Dame's strategic program director.

Return to Stanford

On April 25, 2024, Oesterle returned to Stanford as an assistant coach on Kate Paye's staff.

Head coaching record

College