SCW | St. Ignace Girls Basketball Coach Dorene Ingalls with 500+ Career Wins

Dorene Ingalls most recently joined the esteemed list of coaches with 500 career wins as the St. Ignace girls basketball team opens up the season with a big win over Brimley.

Moving into her 25th season with the Saints, she is sitting 16th in the state with the most wins for a girl’s basketball coach. The Saints are not stopping there. Since the big 500th career season-opening win, the Saints beat Boyne City and Rudyard by a combined 115 points. This week, they take on Sault Ste. Marie.

Other than winning, one other factor is consistent for Coach Ingalls. That is having her husband by her side. Coach Doug Ingalls has been an assistant within the program alongside Dorene for all 500+ wins. He also is the boys varsity head coach for St. Ignace heading into his fifth consecutive season since coaching in 1992-2008 and 2011-2016. The boys varsity team is off to a great start, opening the season 2-0. Coach Doug Ingalls will join his wife in the Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame on May 11, 2024.

Coach Dorene Ingalls has had major success on the court but off the court as well. She led the St. Ignace girls basketball program to 5 MHSAA Finals championships with 4 runner-up finishes and in 2021, won the MHSAA Women in Leadership Award.