MADISON, Wis. — After guiding the Wisconsin women’s basketball team through a challenging period, head coach Marisa Moseley has decided to step down. During her four-year tenure, Moseley achieved a 47-75 record, but the program has struggled competitively within the Big Ten for over ten years.
The team concluded this season with a 13-16 record, culminating in an 81-54 defeat against Iowa during the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament earlier this week. Throughout her time with the team, Moseley was unable to secure more than a third of the Big Ten games in any single season.
On Sunday, Moseley expressed her decision to resign due to personal reasons. “Leading the Wisconsin program has been a special honor,” Moseley shared in a statement from the university. “I’m thankful for the efforts of our student-athletes, coaches, and staff. The dedication from Badger fans, both locally at the Kohl Center and nationwide, has been invaluable.”
With Moseley’s departure, associate head coach Margaret McKeon will temporarily step into the role of head coach while Wisconsin conducts a comprehensive search for a permanent replacement.
Athletic director Chris McIntosh voiced his appreciation for Moseley’s contributions: “Marisa announced her decision to step down last Friday. Her commitment to the women’s basketball program was evident, and her passion for coaching was unwavering. We wish her the best in her future endeavors.”
The timing of Moseley’s resignation follows an investigation by Wisconsin into an ex-player’s claims of mistreatment by the coach and her staff late in January.
Tessa Towers, now a center at Ball State, had previously been a part of Wisconsin’s squad from 2022 to 2024. In a TikTok video, Towers indirectly referenced Moseley, recounting experiences as a freshman feeling like “a lab rat” due to frequent medication changes by her coaches and staff.
Furthermore, Towers alleged being coerced into granting her coach access to therapy sessions by threatening her spot on the team, suggested autism testing, and faced an ultimatum concerning a mental health facility admission.
Following the public airing of these allegations, Moseley refrained from discussing specific student-athlete health issues but insisted on the priority of the mental and physical well-being of her players over basketball. “We strive to create a welcoming environment and build strong relationships,” she declared, noting her compliance with all relevant university protocols.
The announcement by Wisconsin regarding Moseley’s resignation did not acknowledge Tower’s claims.
Before her Wisconsin role, Moseley achieved a 45-29 record over three seasons at Boston University. Her experience also includes serving as an assistant coach for several national championship teams at UConn under Geno Auriemma.
Although her efforts to revitalize Wisconsin’s program faltered, with the team not enjoying a winning season since 2010-11, she led them to their best performance since then by achieving a 15-17 record and reaching the WNIT quarterfinals last year. Wisconsin’s last appearance in the NCAA Tournament remains in 2010.
