Grace Howrigon arrived in Sault Ste. Marie in 2024 with a mission to "Flip the 906." In 2026, Lake Superior State took a major step toward that goal, returning to the GLIAC Tournament and building a firm foundation for the years ahead.
In her second year in the Soo, Howrigon aggressively recruited talent, bringing four transfers and four first-year players. While quickly retooling the roster, Howrigon created gameplans that led to massive improvements in a wide range of statistical categories, including points per game, scoring margin, field goal percentage, field goal defense, rebounding margin, points off turnovers, steals, and blocks. The Lakers played with an intensity and tactical focus in a high-tempo system that produced results. LSSU qualified for the GLIAC Tournament in just the second year of the Howrigon era. The program saw a major individual statistical milestone as well, as Grace Bradford broke Marti Wallace's ('83) record for career rebounds.
Ahead of the 2026-27 season, Howrigon led LSSU on an international trip to Italy, undertaking a major fundraising campaign in the process. She has earned a reputation as an excellent relationship-builder across campus, in the community and with the Laker alumni base. Off the court, her team is among the LSSU Athletics Department leaders in community service hours per student-athlete. The team also finished the Spring 2026 semester with a 3.50 GPA, which tied for the second-best mark in the entire department and showcased Howrigon's commitment to academics.
Prior to LSSU, Howrigon had served as the head women’s basketball coach at Lawrence Tech University (LTU) for five seasons in which she led the Blue Devils to a 69-72 overall record, highlighted by a 21-12 season in 2019-20 that resulted in a Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) Championship appearance and a berth in the NAIA national tournament.
While at LTU, Howrigon coached a three-time NAIA All-American, two First-Team All-WHAC honorees
(includes a three-time recipient), a two-time WHAC All-Defensive Team honoree, five Second Team All-
WHAC honorees, and two WHAC All-Freshman Team recipients.
Prior to LTU, she spent a one-year stint as an assistant coach at Colorado College, and she has also
served as an assistant coach, recruiting coordinator, and head junior varsity coach at her alma mater,
Siena Heights University (SHU) where she led the SHU reserves to a perfect 19-0 season, followed by a
17-2 mark in 2016-17.
As a player, Howrigon etched her name into the SHU record books as the program’s all-time assist
leader (585), the single-season assist leader (214), the single-game assist leader (12), and ranks in the
top-10 in career three-point percentage (35.1), free throws made (248), and free throw percentage
(75.8). In 2025, she was named to the Siena Heights University Hall of Fame, along with then-Laker assistant coaches Terrell Modest and Alix Carter.
