Michaela Gelbaugh, hired in September 2022, finished her second season as the assistant coach of the Florida Tech Women’s Basketball program.
During the 2023-24 season, Gelbaugh guided Jessica Lange and Lina Stranger-Johannessen to SSC Defensive Player of the Week honors. Gelbaugh also helped the offense on the glass and taking care of the ball as Florida Tech was fourth in the SSC in offensive rebounds and turnover margin. Defensively, the Panthers blocked 113 shots and stole the ball 239 times, which were good for second and fifth in the conference, respectively.
In her first season with the Panthers, Gelbaugh helped produce one SSC Defensive Player of the Week in Aiste Vaitekunaite, while Lina Stranger-Johannessen earned CSC Academic All-District Honors.
Gelbaugh's journey from a successful playing career with the Panthers from 2016-19 to her current role as a coach is a testament to her deep understanding of the game. Over her career, she played in 68 games, shooting 28.71% from the field, 22.22% from the three-point range, and 81.91% from the free-throw line. Gelbaugh's contributions on the court, including 211 points, 78 rebounds, 52 assists, 31 steals, and seven blocks.
Gelbaugh comes to Florida Tech after serving as a Registered Behavior Technician at Behavior Basics Inc., where she assisted in delivering behavior analysis services, including in-home, clinic, and school-based clients.
Prior to her time at Behavior Basics Inc., she was a Mental Health Technician at Devereux Behavior Health from May 2019 to November 2019 and the assistant women's basketball coach at Stone Magnet Middle School.
Gelbaugh graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Forensic Psychology from Florida Tech in May 2019 and is currently working towards her Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA) Certification.
