Addie Micir brings new culture, title back to Lehigh women’s basketball

In just her third year as coach, Addie Micir has rebuilt Lehigh Women’s Basketball into a title contender, leading the Mountain Hawks to their first Patriot League title since 2021. 

Now, with a team defined by a team-first mentality and fast-paced offense, Lehigh is stepping onto the March Madness stage to take on a familiar foe — the Duke Blue Devils.

Micir took over as coach in 2022 following the COVID pandemic, a period that saw Lehigh’s two leading-scorers—Frannie Hottinger and Mackenzie Kramer—transfer to Marquette and Clemson after earning their degrees.

Their departures created openings for incoming transfers Colleen McQuillen from Fordham and Remi Sisselman from Bucknell. Since both transfers had previously been recruited by Lehigh, Micir said their familiarity with the program made for a seamless transition. 

Micir said a message she has lived by since becoming a coach is, “You win with people. So find great people, you know, the rest will take care of itself.”

She also said building the foundation of a strong team starts with recruiting.

“You have to get the right people in the room, and then after that, it’s really breaking down what it means to us and how we work,” Micir said. “How do we handle our business? How hard can we go?” 

Micir said she instills in her players that energy is a conscious, daily choice. She also encourages her players to bring high energy, contribute positively and avoid draining those around them.

The program focuses on both individual and team development, following Micir’s philosophy: “Better me, better we.”

She said players need to focus on improving their skills, while simultaneously thinking about how they can contribute to team goals. 

“We want to make sure that we have great leaders here and great teammates, and people are going to go on and be good citizens of the world,” Micir said. “And so, to do that, we talk to them a lot about their passions, what they love to do, and how they can bring work and energy to their life outside of basketball.” 

Sophomore forward Whitney Lind praised the coaching staff for recruiting individuals who foster a supportive team dynamic. 

“When you have a culture that’s really big on the ‘we’ part and the ‘family’ part, it’s really easy to go out there and play for each other,” Lind said. “And, I think that’s what we’re looking to do, and that’s exactly what the coaches recruit us to do here.” 

Micir credits the senior class — Sisselman, Ella Stemmer, McQuillen, Kaylee Van Eps and Meghan O’Brien — for shaping the program’s culture and setting a foundation for the future.

Lind also said the seniors have helped keep the team composed, paving the way toward success.

“I think the best thing that they’ve done is just instill a mindset in us, like the way we play, and you can see it through all of us,” she said. “We’re all on board on everything, and everything we do is as a team and together.” 

The starting lineup features Stemmer, McQuillen, O’Brien, and fifth-year Maddie Albrecht, while Sisselman and Van Eps will contribute off the bench. Regardless of varying playing time, Micir said their energy and commitment remain unwavering. 

Since becoming head coach, Micir said she has learned just how supportive her network and community are. But most of all, she said she is proud to bring Lehigh to the biggest stage tonight.

“To watch the community embrace our team, and our team embrace the community, we’re just so excited to represent Lehigh,” she said. “Lehigh represents all that is good in the college environment and college athletics. And so, for us to be able to represent on this stage is really special.”