Michael Meek was named the sixth women’s basketball head coach in program history on March 27, 2019. Meek came to Portland after a highly successful nine-year run at George Fox University, and has since then transformed the Pilots into a powerhouse in the WCC, with three WCC Tournament championship titles (2020, 2022, 2023) and a co-regular season title.
The 2019-20 WCC title, which included a win over No. 11 Gonzaga in the semifinals, gave the Pilots their first berth to the NCAA Tournament since 1997. Unfortunately, the NCAA Tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2019-20 was full of milestones as Meek led the team to a 21-11 overall record, good for fourth in the WCC after the coaches picked the Pilots to finish 10th in the league’s annual preseason poll. It’s the first 20-win for the program since 1996-97, and the 11-7 mark in the WCC gave Portland their most conference wins since that same 96-97 season.
Other achievements in 2019-20 include:
• The fourth-place finish is the highest in conference since 2010-11 (4th).
• The Portland faithful flooded to the Chiles Center to support the Pilots, and the season featured two of the biggest crowds in program history.
• The 1,772 that came to the game vs. San Francisco on Feb. 15 was the fifth biggest crowd ever, and the contest with Gonzaga on Feb. 29 featured the sixth largest crowd at 1,709.
• The Pilots began the season 4-0 for only the third time ever in program history, and it was the first time since 2010-11.
• Portland’s five-game winning streak from Jan. 11 to Jan. 25 was their longest since 2009-10.
• The Pilots swept the regular season series vs. Saint Mary’s for the first time since 2008-09.
• On Jan. 4, the Pilots won 57-48 at BYU, ending a 20-game losing streak to the Cougars; it was the first win for Portland over BYU since the 1998-99 season.
• The wins at USF and SCU (Jan 16-18) marked the first WCC weekend road sweep for the Pilots since 2009-10 (also at USF & SCU).
Following the historic regular season, the Pilots made a magical run through the WCC Tournament, defeating Pacific in the quarterfinals, Gonzaga in the semi’s, and San Diego in the Championship game. Haylee Andrews hit the game winner with just 3.8 seconds left against the Zags, and the victory was the Pilots first in the series since defeating Gonzaga in 2009 in Spokane, a stretch of 23 straight Bulldog wins. It was also the first win over a ranked opponent since topping the No. 24 San Diego Toreros at the Chiles Center in 2014.
Against the Toreros, Andrews connected on the game-tying shot with just over five seconds remaining, and she provided what proved to be the winning shot with just under a minute left to give the Pilots only their second WCC Tournament Title ever.
Freshman Alex Fowler was named the tournament’s MVP, and she was joined on the all-tournament team by Andrews.
Fowler was also named the WCC’s Women’s Basketball Newcomer of the Year, and she landed on the all-league first team. Fowler is only the second Portland player to ever be named the league's newcomer of the year, joining Ashlee Orndorff (2003-04), and she’s the program’s first All-WCC First Team selection since 2011-12. Andrews was voted to the All-WCC Second Team, and senior guard Kate Andersen received honorable mention recognition. Additionally, Fowler was voted to the league’s all-freshman team, as was forward Keeley Frawley. This is only the second time ever that he Pilots have placed two players on the WCC’s All-Freshman Team, with the other time happening in 1993-94. The four players honored is also the most for Portland since 2010-11.
In the years since the historic 2019-20 season, the Pilots have continued their rise through the WCC. Portland finished above .500 in 2020-21 at 14-13. It was the first time the Pilots put together back-to-back seasons finishing above .500 since the 2010-11 season. The Pilots also played postseason basketball for the first time since 2010, qualifying for the Women’s Basketball Invitational.
At the WBI, the Pilots earned their first playoff win as a Division I program when they defeated the Abilene Christian Wildcats 67-42. The Pilots followed that up with a historic 80-65 win over the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks, a game that saw Alex Fowler become the fastest Pilot to 1,000 points and Maddie Muhlheim become the all-time leader in three-pointers made. Muhlheim hit six threes, leading the Pilots in points with 22 while Fowler scored 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds.
The Pilots advanced all the way to the final against the Cleveland State Vikings, ultimately losing 67-64 in a tightly contested championship game.
Fowler along with Haylee Andrews were named All-WCC First Team selections, marking the first time the Pilots have had two All-WCC First Team selections in the same season since Da’Love Woods and Tami Standish in the 2001-02 season. Fowler averaged 16.8 points and 7.4 points per game and set a Pilot record for field-goal percentage at 54.8%.
Andrews, meanwhile, had one of the strongest conference seasons in WCC history, leading the conference in both scoring (18.4) and assists (6.2). She was just the fourth player in WCC history to lead the conference in both categories. Her 106 assists in league games were 26 more than the next closest player. Emme Shearer was the only other All-WCC selection, making the All-WCC Freshman Team.
The following year, the Pilots put together an impressive 20-11 record to finish fourth in the WCC, their third straight top-five finish in the conference. It was just the fifth 20-win season for the Pilots as a Division I program.
For the third season in a row, Portland qualified for postseason play, earning an invite to the Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) for the first time since 2009. They earned their first win ever in the WNIT and their first ever home playoff win with a 72-63 win over the Colorado State Rams. The Pilots advanced to the second round of the tournament, ultimately falling to the Oregon State Beavers.
Fowler once again put together a dominant season, making the All-WCC First Team for the third straight season. She became the first Pilot since Laiken Dollente in 2010 to make three All-WCC First Teams and the first Pilot since Kristin Hepton in 1999 to make three first teams in a row. Fowler averaged an impressive 17.1 points and 7.8 rebounds per contest.
Other All-WCC selections include Haylee Andrews and Lucy Cochrane. Despite tearing her ACL in the first half of Portland’s upset victory over the then-No. 17 BYU Cougars, Andrews made the second team after averaging 11.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.7 assists per contest. That assist average would’ve led the conference by almost a full assist and her 102 total assists were still 10th in the WCC despite playing eight games fewer than the next closest player.
Cochrane was dominant on the defensive end, racking up 114 blocks in just 29 games and averaging just under four blocks per contest. Both stats were easily the most of any Pilot in program history, with her block average leading the nation and her total ranking second. Cochrane average 8.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per contest as well.
The following season, the Pilots once again sat atop the WCC. They posted a 23-9 record overall and a program-best 15-3 in WCC play, finishing second in the conference. Their record was the best since the 1996-97 season and the fewest losses they've taken in a year since the 1997-98 season.
Highlighting the season was the Pilots' second WCC Tournament championship under Meek. The Pilots beat the Pacific Tigers in the semifinals in a nail-biting 75-72 victory. Led by 29 points from Alex Fowler, the Pilots trailed heading into the final period but clawed their way back in the fourth quarter to win.
The championship followed, with the Pilots engaged in another battle against the top-seeded Gonzaga Bulldogs. Portland trailed 33-22 at halftime after Fowler went scoreless in the first half, but they never panicked. Fowler went on to score 15 points and add 11 rebounds while Maisie Burnham poured in a team-high 19 points as the Pilots outscored the Zags 42-27 in the second half to win their second title in four seasons.
Fowler earned her second WCC Tournament Most Outstanding Player honor, becoming the first player in program history to earn the honor twice. Burnham was also named to the All-Tournament team. With the victory, Meek became the first coach in program history with multiple WCC Tournament championships.
With the victory, the Pilots earned the opportunity to play in their first NCAA Tournament game since 1997, having missed out on that opportunity in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Pilots earned a 12-seed, playing the 5-seed Oklahoma Sooners down in Los Angeles, with the opening rounds hosted by the UCLA Bruins. Despite a valiant effort, the Pilots fell 85-63.
Despite the departures of several
With a career collegiate coaching record of 360-97 (.788), Meek ranks sixth in career winning percentage among active Division I coaches with 10-plus years of experience.
Prior to Portland, Meek led the George Fox Bruins to remarkable results including NCAA Division III championship game appearances in 2012 and 2015. He guided George Fox to eight NCAA Tournament appearances – including the last six seasons – six Northwest Conference (NWC) championships, and his teams were ranked at the end of the year seven times.
He was named the D3hoops.com NCAA Division III National Coach of the Year in 2012 and was three times named the NWC Coach of the Year, including in 2019. He coached four players to All-America recognition, while Hannah Munger also earned Academic All-America honors in 2012.
The Bruins have been a historical Division III power in women’s basketball and Meek was the fastest coach in program history to reach 100 wins. He succeeded current Oregon State head coach Scott Rueck at George Fox.
Before George Fox, Meek was head coach at Southridge High School (Beaverton, Ore.) for 10 seasons. He led Southridge to a record of 213-58 (.786) and five Oregon state titles over a six-year span between 2005 and 2010. Meek guided the Skyhawks to Oregon 4A titles in 2005 and 2006, the top classification at the time, and then to the Oregon 6A championships in 2007, 2008 and 2010.
He was named the 2006 MaxPreps.com National Girls’ Basketball Coach of the Year, four times earned Oregon Athletic Coaches Association Coach of the Year honors (2005, 2006, 2007, and 2010), and was league coach of the year six seasons. A total of 20 players went on to play college basketball from those rosters. Eleven student-athletes played at the Division I level, while all five starters on his 2006 squad signed with schools currently in the Pac-12.
Meek began his coaching career at La Grande (Ore.) High School, where he went 51-21 (.708) in three years (1997-2000) as head coach.
In addition to his coaching accolades, Meek has published articles in Women’s Basketball magazine, developed five basketball coaching instructional videos, and is a regular presenter at various coaching clinics and summits throughout the region.
Meek developed and hosted one of the top national high school basketball tournaments in the nation while at Southridge High School – the NIKE Northwest Girls Basketball Invitational (2006-10).
A Puyallup, Wash. native, Meek played basketball at Tacoma Community College and Eastern Oregon University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education and health in 1999. He earned his Master of Arts in Teaching from Grand Canyon University in 2004.
Meek and his wife, Lisa, reside in Beaverton with their daughters McKelle and Audrey.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT COACH MEEK
“In addition to being an outstanding basketball coach, Michael is a terrific institutional fit at the University of Portland. He has proven abilities in player and personal development, has strong Pacific Northwest recruiting ties, is an exceptional mentor and leader, and has a winning pedigree. We are excited for him to lead our program.”
- Scott Leykam, University of Portland Vice President for Athletics
“It was really nice that a quick, quality hiring decision was made. Mike will be a perfect fit at Portland. He knows the college game, has had success at every level, and can certainly coach. He will have to make an adjustment in recruiting, but he has made adjustments before with great success and I’m sure he will do well. University of Portland and George Fox have many shared parameters for success in terms of academics, character and personal development. Mike will fit right in at the University.”
- Jim Sollars, University of Portland Hall of Fame Women’s Basketball Coach (1986-2014)
“Mike Meek is one of the best coaches in the country. He has been successful everywhere he’s been because he is a great tactician, teacher of the fundamentals, motivator, and really connects with young people. Having coached at Portland myself, I know he is a great fit for the vision and mission of the university. UP just hit a home run with Mike!”
- Kelly Graves, University of Oregon Women’s Basketball Head Coach
“The University of Portland has made an outstanding choice in hiring Michael Meek to lead their women’s basketball program. He is an excellent and very well-respected coach and has earned incredible amounts of success throughout his career. Most importantly he is a high character individual who provides a positive environment for his students to grow and flourish on and off the court.”
- Scott Rueck, Oregon State Women’s Basketball Head Coach
“Mike is the best I have ever worked with. His record is great at every level and just screams competitive excellence. For me, what makes Mike special is the value he puts on the formative aspect of the student-athlete experience. His record on the court speaks for itself, but off the court he develops people, character, and the pursuit of academic excellence. He treats everyone with respect and grows kids into great people. That is the piece that most excited me about working with Mike. For nine years I watched kids transform into amazing people because of his influence. I always asked myself before I hired a coach, would this be someone I would trust with my child, to set an example for them and make them a better person? The answer to that in Mike’s case is absolutely, without a doubt. He is a great person. You don’t buy talent at an institution like George Fox. To be successful at our level, coaches must be able to identify talent and potential, get those kids to campus, and then grow it. Mike is masterful at doing just that. The West Coast Conference competitiveness continues to climb in all sports, so finding someone like Mike is a perfect fit for Portland to grow in that culture. Just like La Grande High School, Southridge High School and George Fox, I have no doubt that Portland basketball success is going to explode with Mike in charge.”
- Craig Taylor, Former George Fox Athletic Director (1988-2017)
“I loved playing for Mike as a player and getting to coach with him the last four years has made me appreciate him even more. Portland is fortunate to have Mike. He is the type of coach that develops players on and off the court and cares deeply about the student-athlete experience. UP and George Fox both have great values as institutions and Mike gets that. At the heart of who he is, Mike is a fun person to be around and makes those around him better. He will be a great asset to the athletic department, as well as the institution. We are sad to lose Mike, obviously, but hope that UP community welcomes him with open arms. George Fox and the Newberg community are excited to watch him build the program.”
- Keisha Gordon, Former George Fox player (2008-12), program’s all-time leading scorer, current George Fox Assistant Coach
“Mike is one of the best in the business, not only in terms of winning, but also just who he is as a person. You see it in the players he graduates, the impact he has had not only from a basketball perspective, but also in character and personal development. Not a lot of coaches are able to push and get everything out of players on the floor, while still maintaining a strong personal relationship. Mike and I still talk nearly once a week. He makes that kind of effort to stay in touch with former players, which shows he is a genuinely good person that cares about us as people. As a basketball coach he is a student of the game through and through. He adjusts to his players’ strengths and is willing to adapt. He got the most out of us with different playing styles. He is great at scouting opponents, practice planning, preparation, and overall just has a great basketball mind. I always felt we had an advantage when it came to in-game strategy and that we out-smarted teams. To say that I played for him is like saying I’ve played for one of the best coaches in the game, without a doubt. He is also so humble. Mike has had unbelievable success at every stop, yet he always deflects the credit to his players and staff. I know that there will be a lot of George Fox alums at Chiles Center watching and supporting Mike in the coming years.”
- Nicole Blizzard, Former George Fox player (2012-16)