Entering her second season as an assistant coach with the Charlotte 49ers women’s basketball staff is Karen Lange. 

Lange was a valuable asset to the program in her first season, helping the Niners reach the postseason for the 10th-straight season with their WNIT appearance.

“I have always had tremendous amount of respect for Karen’s ability as a coach and a recruiter,” Charlotte head coach Cara Consuegra said.  “Being a head coach, Karen brings a unique and valued perspective to our program. She is an incredible teacher of the game of basketball who has a passion for developing players on and off the court. She is a great person who has high expectations for herself and our program. Karen will work extremely hard and be an outstanding role model for our student-athletes and in the Charlotte community.”

Before joining the Charlotte staff, Lange spent 2010-11 as the head coach at MidAmerica Nazarene (Olathe, Kan.). She guided the Pioneers to 12 wins, including 10 Heart of America Athletic Conference wins and a spot in the conference tournament. The Pioneers were nationally ranked in several defensive categories.

“I am excited to join Cara and to be a part of her staff at Charlotte,” Lange said.  “Charlotte is a program that has experienced a great deal of success over recent years. I look forward to working with everyone involved to continue the tradition and culture that has been created here.” 

Prior to taking the reins of the MidAmerica Nazarene program, Lange spent six years as the lead assistant coach and recruiting coordinator in the Big 12 Conference at Kansas from 2005-10. She helped the Jayhawks reach the postseason play four times during her six-year stay in Lawrence. 

At Kansas, she worked primarily with the point guards but she also assisted in monitoring academics and scouting. In 2009, point guard Ivana Catic led the Big 12 and ranked ninth nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio. During the 2009-10 season, point guard Angel Goodrich was leading the Big 12 and was third nationally in assists until her season was prematurely cut short due to an injury.

Before joining the Kansas coaching staff in 2004, she spent seven years as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Virginia Tech from the 1998 through 2004 seasons. Virginia Tech made seven postseason tournament appearances, including five NCAA Tournament berths and a trip to the 1999 NCAA Sweet Sixteen during her seven years with the program. Her court duties included working with the Hokies point guards.

During her coaching career, she has coached four players drafted by the WNBA, 19 all-conference players and three Academic All-Americans.

Prior to her coaching career, she enjoyed a standout playing career at Iowa. She earned All-Big Ten Conference and three Academic All-Big Ten honors at Iowa. Lange played an integral role in helping the Hawkeyes reach the 1993 NCAA Final Four. She also helped the program reach the 1994 NCAA Tournament Second Round and the 1996 Sweet Sixteen. She also was a key member of the 1993 and 1996 Big Ten Championship squads. As a senior in 1996, she led the Hawkeyes with 139 assists while earning honorable mention All-Big Ten accolades. 

The Raleigh, N.C., product graduated from Iowa in 1996 with a bachelor's degree in exercise science. 

Lange and her husband Cory have two children, daughter, Ashlyn and son, Ty.