GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Furman women's basketball coach Pierre Curtis announced today the hiring of Samantha Michel as an assistant coach and the program's director of operations and the new title of director of program engagement for current staff member Grace van Rij.

"Samantha comes highly recommended from her time at VCU and Utah," said Curtis on Wednesday. "Her energy and passion for the game are evident from the moment she steps into the room. She will have a tremendous impact on our program.

"Grace has been such a big part of our family for the past six years, and I'm excited we get to keep her in the program. She will help take us to another level in the community and through our social media."

Michel joins the Paladin staff after serving as a graduate assistant coach at VCU for the 2023-24 season, where she helped the Rams to the winningest campaign in program history — a 26-6 mark and invitation to the inaugural Women's Basketball Invitational Tournament (WBIT).

Prior to her stint at VCU she spent the 2022-23 year as creative director for marketing and recruiting for the University of Utah women's basketball program.

Michel's four-year collegiate playing career included her freshman and sophomore seasons at Northeastern and junior and senior years at Anderson (S.C.).

As a junior at Anderson she was named second team All-South Atlantic Conference (SAC) and conference defensive player of the year. 

She interned in 2020 with the WNBA through its "PassThaBall" campaign, creating content for social media accounts and planning brand events such as the "Who's NXT" Jordan All-Star games.

Following her senior season she was selected to participate in the WBCA "So You Want To Be A Coach" program, a two-day workshop during the WBCA Convention and Final Four.

A native of Raleigh, N.C., Michel secured her bachelor of arts degree in communications and digital media studies from Anderson in 2021 and added a master's in organizational leadership, also from Anderson, in 2022.

van Rij has served Furman's women's basketball program in three roles during her tenure at the university — as a decorated player, graduate assistant coach, and now as director of program engagement.

In uniform, the Knoxville, Tenn., native played in 139 games, lettered all five years, and was twice selected team captain and All-Southern Conference, including her final campaign that saw her average 13.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. She averaged 10.0 ppg during the 2021-22 season while helping Furman to its first 20-win campaign in over two decades.  Her .502 career field goal percentage ranks seventh in Furman history.

A four-time SoCon All-Academic Team pick and five-time SoCon Academic Honor Roll selection, van Rij graduated cum laude in 2022 with a degree in communication studies and earlier this year was accorded a master of art in strategic design, also from Furman.