Michaela Kleisinger returned to the University of Regina women's basketball program as an assistant coach prior to the 2022-23 season, was named interim head coach for 2025-26, and earned the permanent position in April 2026.
In her season as interim head coach, Kleisinger guided the Cougars to an impressive 24-5 overall record. The campaign was highlighted by a road sweep of a Calgary team ranked No. 4 in U SPORTS, a 17-point home win over No. 2 Alberta, and a home victory over UBC Okanagan in the Canada West quarterfinals. After starting the season unranked, the Cougars climbed as high as No. 4 in the national rankings.
Kleisinger was a five-year Cougar from 2015 to 2020. She began her career as a reserve guard before emerging as a key contributor in her second season. In her final year, she averaged 13.0 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game in Canada West play while recording the first three triple-doubles in program history.
Following her playing career, Kleisinger spent two years in Edmonton completing her Master of Coaching degree at the University of Alberta while serving as an assistant coach with the Pandas. With the 2020-21 season cancelled due to COVID-19, her first year focused primarily on player development. She then gained a full season of game experience in 2021-22, helping the Pandas to a 14-2 record in Canada West's Central Division and a year-long presence in the U SPORTS Top Ten.
Kleisinger calls Regina home and is a graduate of Campbell Collegiate.
