Michaela Porter enters her first season as an assistant on the Duquesne women’s basketball coaching staff during the 2025-26 season.
Porter, a native of Pittsburgh, Pa., returns to her hometown to begin her coaching career after wrapping up an impressive professional playing journey overseas. Her international career spanned Portugal, Iceland, Finland, and Mongolia before bringing her back to the Bluff. Most recently, she suited up for Abejas de León in the Mexican Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Profesional Femenil (LNBPF), where she averaged 7.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and nearly one block per game over 12 contests. She also shot a remarkable 83.3 percent from the free-throw line. Porter reached double figures three times and hit two or more three-pointers in four games.
"I am ecstatic about joining such a successful and well-respected program," Porter explained. "Coach Burt and I have known each other for a very long time and I cannot thank him enough for providing me with the opportunity to expand this part of my career and grow as a coach. My transition has been great so far and I look forward to continuing to learn, grow, and spread my knowledge to the girls. Duquesne has always been home for me so to be able to step into this new chapter of my life where it all started is an absolute blessing."
Before launching her professional career overseas, Porter graduated from Appalachian State University in 2021 with a bachelor's degree in Psychology and a certificate in Business Management. Over three seasons with the Mountaineers, she appeared in 82 games, making 53 starts and averaging 8.3 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. Porter delivered her strongest performance as a senior, finishing second on the team with 12.6 points and 6.4 rebounds per contest. The 6'0" power forward led both the team and the Sun Belt Conference with 2.3 steals per game and ranked among the league's top 15 in assists at 2.2 per outing. She scored in double figures 18 times that season, recorded four double-doubles, and played a key role in helping App State reach the quarterfinals of the conference tournament.
Before transferring to Appalachian State, Porter began her collegiate career at the University of Cincinnati, where she spent two seasons with the Bearcats. A proud Pittsburgh native, she played her high school basketball at Obama Academy, where she posted impressive averages of 15.4 points, 9.1 rebounds, 4.2 steals, and 3.2 assists per game. She surpassed the 1,000-point mark during her prep career and was named the 2016 Pittsburgh City League Player of the Year. Porter earned All-City honors throughout her high school career, was part of four City League championship teams, and was inducted into the Pittsburgh City League Junior Hall of Fame.
