Jillian Dunston - Women's Basketball Coach - University of Michigan Athletics

Jillian Dunston

Title:
Assistant Coach

Jillian Dunston spent two seasons on the sidelines in Ann Arbor (2023-25), rejoining the Michigan women's basketball program after spending three season as an assistant coach at Drexel. Dunston was a four-year letterwinner (2015-18) for the Wolverines before entering the coaching ranks.

With just four returners, five freshmen and three transfers, Michigan did not miss a beat in 2024-25 en route to winning 23 games and reaching the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Olivia Olson and Syla Swords became the first freshman teammates in Big Ten history to each score 500 points in the same season, with Olson setting a new freshman program record with 553 points. Fellow freshman Mila Holloway set a new Michigan assists record for a freshman, handing out 148 assists on the season. Olson was named the Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Year, with her and Swords each earning a spot on the all-freshman team and the Big Ten second team. Michigan's 23 wins is tied for the third-most in program history, with the Wolverines making the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament for the second straight season.

In her first season back at Michigan, she helped sign a recruiting class ranked No. 8 in the final recruiting rankings. Michigan won 20 games in 2023-24, making the NCAA Tournament for the sixth straight season after returning just two starters from the previous season.

Over three seasons at Drexel (2020-23), she helped the Dragons to 63 wins and three postseason berths, highlighted by an appearance in the 2021 NCAA Tournament. She was named twice to the WBCA's Thirty Under 30 list as one of the top 30 coaches in the game under the age of 30.

Dunston spent two seasons at Florida State as a graduate assistant from 2018-20. She had a variety of responsibilities while in Tallahassee, helping with practice planning and preparation, scout team duties, game preparation, helping organize team travel and recruiting tasks. While at Florida State, she earned her master's of science in sport management.

During her career at Michigan, Dunston appeared in 138 games to rank fourth all-time in appearances. She graduated second in rebounding with 862 boards, now coming in at No. 4 as one of just five players to have grabbed at least 850 rebounds in a career. She led Michigan to four postseason appearances, most notably the second round of the 2018 NCAA Tournament and the 2017 WNIT title. During her senior season, Dunston was selected to the Big Ten All-Defensive Team, becoming one of just four Wolverines in school history to earn the honor. A three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, Dunston graduated from Michigan with a degree in sport management.