Dr. Don Mulhern is currently in his eighth season as head coach at St. Catherine University, having joined the program in 2016-17. Prior to his tenure at St. Kate’s, Mulhern spent 11 successful years as the head women’s basketball coach at the University of Wisconsin-Superior, where he remains the winningest coach in program history.
In the 2023-24 season, Mulhern guided the Wildcat basketball team to its most successful season in NCAA history, finishing with a 19-8 overall record and a 14-6 record in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC). Under Mulhern’s leadership, the Wildcats achieved numerous milestones, including their first home playoff berth and their first MIAC playoff win. Mulhern was recognized as the MIAC Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year, becoming only the second head coach in Wildcat history to earn this honor. Several players earned accolades, including MIAC Rookie of the Year Hattie Fox and selections to the MIAC All-Conference team.
In the preceding seasons, Mulhern’s coaching saw continued growth and success at St. Kate’s. Notably, in the 2022-23 season, the Wildcats narrowly missed the MIAC postseason with a 12-12 record. The team also earned recognition as a WBCA Academic Top 25 Honor Roll Special Mention team.
During the 2021-22 season, St. Kate’s posted a record of 7-16 coming off the COVID19 season in 2020-21. That year, the Wildcats earned WBCA Academic Top 25 Honor Roll recognition for the first time in program history ranking 20th in Division III boasting a 3.66 team GPA.
In 2020–21, the season was canceled due to COVID19.
In 2019-20, the Wildcats finished the season 12-14 overall with a conference record of 9-11 to return to the MIAC playoffs for the second time in Mulhern's three seasons.
Mulhern and his staff led the Wildcats to an 11-14 overall record while finishing 8-10 in the MIAC in 2018-19.
In Mulhern's first season, the Wildcats finished 12-14 overall and 8-9 in the MIAC returning to the conference post-season for the second consecutive season.
Under Mulhern's guidance at UWS, the Yellow Jackets posted an overall record of 149-142, with a perfect 32-0 record against Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) teams. In the past two seasons, Mulhern guided UW-Superior to two consecutive UMAC regular season and playoff titles, including two trips to the NCAA Tournament. The Yellow Jackets also recorded back-to-back 20-plus win seasons in 2015-16 and 2016-17, and Mulhern was named UMAC Coach of the Year in 2015-16.
Multiple student-athletes also received conference and national recognition during Mulhern's tenure at UW-Superior. Mulhern coached two-time UMAC Player of the Year Haley Kontny and two-time WIAC Player-of-the-Year Sally Linzmieier during his tenure with the Yellow Jackets. Additionally, two student-athletes were finalists for the Jostens Award, and several earned either All-American, All-Region, or All-Conference honors.
Before UW-Superior joined the UMAC in 2015-16, Mulhern led the Yellow Jackets to success in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC). He was a two-time WIAC Coach-of-the-Year after leading UW-Superior to its first post-season appearance in eight years in 2012 and helping the team earn its first and only conference regular-season title in 2014-15. That same season, Mulhern was named the Women's Basketball Coaches Association Division III Coach of the Year and led his team to its second straight appearance in the WIAC Playoff title game.
Mulhern also found success in his other coaching positions, as he turned both MacMurray College and Lindenwood College into successful basketball programs. At both places, he earned Coach of the Year honors and improved the team's overall and conference records by the end of his tenure. Multiple student-athletes earned either All-Conference or All-America accolades as well.
In total, Mulhern has been awarded Coach of the Year honors in four different conferences (MIAC, UMAC, WIAC, SLIAC) with continued growth in each program under his leadership. Outside of his role as a collegiate coach, Mulhern has also done stints internationally traveling to Austria, Australia, Barbados, Belgium, Costa Rica, France, Italy, and Peru coaching both boys and girls high school and college athletes. He additionally has held multiple leadership roles within NCAA Division III as a regional representative along with an appointment to the national rules committee for basketball while at UW-Superior.
Mulhern, a Wykoff, Minnesota native, graduated from Winona State University with a bachelor of science in physical education and business administration. He received his Master's in Physical Education-Human Performance from UW-La Crosse and received his Ph. D. in kinesiology and sport psychology from the University of Minnesota in 2000.
