Michele "Belle" Koclanes (2022) - Richmond Athletics Hall of Fame

Michele "Belle" Koclanes

Induction:
2022
Class:
2002

Almost always the smallest player on the court, Michele “Belle” Koclanes always made the biggest plays. A three-time captain, she helped the Spiders make the transition from the Colonial Athletic Association to the Atlantic 10, earning All-Conference and All-Academic honors in both leagues, as well as a two-time All-State selection.

A true point guard, Belle finished her Richmond career with 1,206 points and a program-record 793 assists. No other Spider women’s basketball player has reached 500 career assists. She owns the top five assist marks in a game, twice reaching 14, and the top three assist totals in a season. As a senior, her 7.4 assists per game season was fourth in the nation. She was the conference assist leader all four seasons, recorded 30 games of 10 or more assists and had 22 career double-doubles.

When her team needed points, she responded. Belle’s career 160 three-pointers and 300 free throws made remain in the program’s Top 10, as well as her 14 free throws made in a game.

Belle played professionally in Greece and Bulgaria. She went from a coach on the floor to a coach on the sidelines, as an assistant at American and Old Dominion, before becoming head coach at Dartmouth from 2013-2021. She joined former Spider Amy Mallon’s staff at Drexel prior to the 2022-23 season.