Brita Hand has been the head coach of the Briar Cliff women's basketball team since the 2020-21 season.
In her first season, Hand guided the Chargers to a 17-10 overall mark and 14-8 GPAC record. The team finished fourth in the regular season conference standings and ended the year in the semifinals of the GPAC Tournament. Highlights from Hand's first season include three wins over ranked teams and first-team all-GPAC pick Konnor Sudmann. Payton Slaughter, Madelyn Deitchler, Mya Hendry and Kennedy Benne also earned all-conference honors with Benne being named the GPAC's Defensive Player of the Year.
Hand came to Briar Cliff from William Penn University in Oskaloosa, Iowa, where she served as the head assistant coach and recruiting coordinator from June 2019 to April 2020. The Statesmen went 25-7 in her season with the team and 19-5 in conference play. William Penn finished runner-up in the 2020 Heart of America Conference Tournament and qualified for the NAIA DI National Tournament. Two Statesmen players were named Honorable Mention All-American that season.
Prior to her time at William Penn, Hand served in similar roles at Illinois College (2018-2019) and Truman State (2015-2018). In three seasons at Truman, Hand helped the Bulldogs to three conference tournament appearances and supervised the team's academic progress, resulting in a 3.6 team GPA in 2017.
Hand began her coaching career as a student assistant coach at Ashford University, her alma mater. Hand earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Ashford and holds a Master of Arts in Leadership from Truman State with an emphasis in coaching.
Hand was one of two NAIA coaches named to the WBCA Thirty Under 30 list for the 2019-20 season. The award recognized 30 up-and-coming women's basketball coaches age 30 and under that have exemplified involvement in community service, mentorship and impact on others, professional manner, and attitude and professional association involvement.
Hand is the 11th head coach in program history.
