Marquette, MI – July 27th, 2026 – The Marquette Sentinels have officially turned the page to a new chapter, naming former Northern Michigan standout Steffani Gerard as the program’s next varsity girls basketball head coach.
Gerard takes over for Ben Smith, who stepped down after 14 successful seasons at the helm. During his tenure, Smith compiled a 196-116 overall record, good for a 63% winning percentage, while leading the Sentinels to multiple district championships. His final season ended with another district title, while his most memorable campaign came in 2014-15 when Marquette completed an undefeated regular season before advancing to the regional semifinals.
Gerard brings an impressive basketball résumé to the sidelines. Playing under her maiden name, Steffani Stoeger, she enjoyed a standout career at Northern Michigan University, finishing with 1,033 career points, 22nd in program history, and 199 career steals, the second-most in Wildcats history at the time. She earned All-GLIAC and GLIAC All-Tournament Team honors in 2009-10 after helping lead NMU to the NCAA Division II Tournament. As a senior in 2010-11, she started all 26 games while averaging 10.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2.1 steals per game.
Joining Gerard on the bench is new assistant coach Carly Harrington, another decorated Upper Peninsula basketball standout. Harrington starred at Carney-Nadeau High School, helping lead the Wolves to the 2001 MHSAA Class D state championship as a freshman. A two-time U.P. Class D Player of the Year, she finished her high school career with a school-record 1,864 points while also earning four varsity letters in volleyball, cross country, and track and field.
Harrington went on to play at the University of Michigan, where she scored 1,020 career points over four seasons with the Wolverines. During her senior campaign in 2008-09, she set the program record with 192 career three-pointers, establishing herself as one of the top shooters in Michigan history.
Together, Gerard and Harrington bring a wealth of playing experience, championship pedigrees, and deep Upper Peninsula roots to the Marquette program. As the Sentinels begin a new era, the former collegiate standouts will look to build on the strong foundation left by Smith while guiding Marquette toward continued success on the court.
