Upcoming Event: Women's Soccer at #5 Virginia on September 11, 2025 at 7 p.m.
/
7 p.m.
Women's Soccer
at #5 Virginia
.png&width=24&height=24&type=webp)
Staff Directory
Middleton, Karen
Karen Middleton
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
Karen Middleton was hired to the Duke women’s basketball staff in May of 2023 and serves as an assistant coach with the Blue Devils.
Middleton aided the Blue Devils to a 29-8 overall record in 2024-25, including a 14-4 mark in ACC play, while helping Duke capture the program's ninth ACC Tournament title and advance to its 12th Elite Eight. Additionally, Middleton helped coach Toby Fournier (ACC Rookie of the Year, All-ACC First Team, ACC All-Freshman Team), Jadyn Donovan (ACC All-Defensive Team) and Ashlon Jackson (All-ACC Second Team, ACC All-Tournament First Team) to major conference honors.
In her first season at Duke, Middleton helped lead the Blue Devils to a 22-12 overall record and the program’s 18th NCAA Sweet 16 appearance. Additionally, under her guidance, she helped Oluchi Okananwa earn 2024 ACC Sixth Player of the Year honors and a place on the ACC All-Freshman Team, while assisting Reigan Richardson to All-ACC Second Team honors.
Middleton, a 30-plus-year coaching veteran with 13 years of head coaching experience, came to Duke after serving as head coach of the UW-La Crosse women’s basketball team from 2016-2023. During her seven-year tenure with the Eagles, Middleton compiled a 111-58 record (.657), coached 18 players to All-WIAC honors while leading the squad to an at-large bid to the 2020 NCAA Division III Tournament.
A native of Jefferson, S.C., Middleton served as associate head coach at Cal State Fullerton University in 2015-16, overseeing the day-to-day aspects of the women’s basketball program for the Titans.
Prior to working at Cal State Fullerton, Middleton was the head women’s basketball coach at Western Carolina University for six years from 2009-15. Under Middleton’s tutelage, three Catamounts earned SoCon All-Freshman Team honors while three players earned all-conference accolades, including a pair of first-team choices. Western Carolina garnered Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Academic National Top-25 finishes twice, including 13th in 2011-12 and 14th in 2012-13.
Middleton spent two years as an assistant coach at the University of Illinois from 2007-09, helping lead the Illini to a WNIT appearance in 2007-08. She was instrumental in helping Illinois sign the No. 3 recruiting class in the country, while also working closely with two-time All-Big Ten First Team selection Jenna Smith.
Before coaching at Illinois, Middleton served as an assistant coach at Stanford University from 1997-2007 under head coach Tara VanDerveer. The Cardinal won eight Pac-10 conference titles and earned 10 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances during her time at Stanford, including four Sweet Sixteens and three Elite Eights. Middleton also coached three Kodak All-Americans and two Pac-10 Players of the Year.
Prior to arriving at Stanford, Middleton was an assistant coach at Eastern Washington from 1994-97. She started her coaching career at her alma mater, South Carolina, as a volunteer assistant during the 1991-92 season, before being elevated to assistant coach – a role she served in from 1992-94. A member of the WBCA, Middleton was on the USA Basketball Olympic Festival Trials Staff in 1993 and the USA Basketball National Team Training Camp Staff in 1994.
Middleton played for the Gamecocks for four years, scoring over 1,700 career points and setting a single-season school record with 115 three-point field goals made. She was a team captain and most valuable player and earned All-Metro Conference honors.
She holds two degrees from the University of South Carolina, graduating cum laude in 1991 with a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education before earning her Interdisciplinary Master of Arts in physical education in 1993.
Middleton aided the Blue Devils to a 29-8 overall record in 2024-25, including a 14-4 mark in ACC play, while helping Duke capture the program's ninth ACC Tournament title and advance to its 12th Elite Eight. Additionally, Middleton helped coach Toby Fournier (ACC Rookie of the Year, All-ACC First Team, ACC All-Freshman Team), Jadyn Donovan (ACC All-Defensive Team) and Ashlon Jackson (All-ACC Second Team, ACC All-Tournament First Team) to major conference honors.
In her first season at Duke, Middleton helped lead the Blue Devils to a 22-12 overall record and the program’s 18th NCAA Sweet 16 appearance. Additionally, under her guidance, she helped Oluchi Okananwa earn 2024 ACC Sixth Player of the Year honors and a place on the ACC All-Freshman Team, while assisting Reigan Richardson to All-ACC Second Team honors.
Middleton, a 30-plus-year coaching veteran with 13 years of head coaching experience, came to Duke after serving as head coach of the UW-La Crosse women’s basketball team from 2016-2023. During her seven-year tenure with the Eagles, Middleton compiled a 111-58 record (.657), coached 18 players to All-WIAC honors while leading the squad to an at-large bid to the 2020 NCAA Division III Tournament.
A native of Jefferson, S.C., Middleton served as associate head coach at Cal State Fullerton University in 2015-16, overseeing the day-to-day aspects of the women’s basketball program for the Titans.
Prior to working at Cal State Fullerton, Middleton was the head women’s basketball coach at Western Carolina University for six years from 2009-15. Under Middleton’s tutelage, three Catamounts earned SoCon All-Freshman Team honors while three players earned all-conference accolades, including a pair of first-team choices. Western Carolina garnered Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Academic National Top-25 finishes twice, including 13th in 2011-12 and 14th in 2012-13.
Middleton spent two years as an assistant coach at the University of Illinois from 2007-09, helping lead the Illini to a WNIT appearance in 2007-08. She was instrumental in helping Illinois sign the No. 3 recruiting class in the country, while also working closely with two-time All-Big Ten First Team selection Jenna Smith.
Before coaching at Illinois, Middleton served as an assistant coach at Stanford University from 1997-2007 under head coach Tara VanDerveer. The Cardinal won eight Pac-10 conference titles and earned 10 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances during her time at Stanford, including four Sweet Sixteens and three Elite Eights. Middleton also coached three Kodak All-Americans and two Pac-10 Players of the Year.
Prior to arriving at Stanford, Middleton was an assistant coach at Eastern Washington from 1994-97. She started her coaching career at her alma mater, South Carolina, as a volunteer assistant during the 1991-92 season, before being elevated to assistant coach – a role she served in from 1992-94. A member of the WBCA, Middleton was on the USA Basketball Olympic Festival Trials Staff in 1993 and the USA Basketball National Team Training Camp Staff in 1994.
Middleton played for the Gamecocks for four years, scoring over 1,700 career points and setting a single-season school record with 115 three-point field goals made. She was a team captain and most valuable player and earned All-Metro Conference honors.
She holds two degrees from the University of South Carolina, graduating cum laude in 1991 with a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education before earning her Interdisciplinary Master of Arts in physical education in 1993.
Coach Diaz Media Availability: Tulane
Wednesday, September 10
Darian Mensah Media Availability: Tulane
Tuesday, September 09
Josiah Green Media Availability: Tulane
Tuesday, September 09
Coach Patke Press Conference: Tulane
Monday, September 08
