Butte Central has a new volleyball coach.

The school announced the hiring of former Montana Tech volleyball standout and professional player Karina Mickelson today, saying the new coach brings a strong combination of high-level playing experience and youth coaching expertise to her new role. She will replace Becky Hancock, who stepped down after leading the Maroons for 11 seasons.

Mickelson played collegiate volleyball at Montana Tech University from 2015 to 2021, where she was a standout performer for the Orediggers. Mickelson earned First Team All-Conference honors in the Frontier Conference for four consecutive seasons (2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021), showcasing her talent and leadership on the court.

Following her successful collegiate career, Mickelson went on to play professionally in the Czech Republic during the 2024–2025 season, gaining valuable international experience and further deepening her understanding of the game at an elite level.

Since December 2019, Mickelson has been coaching with Velocity Volleyball Academy, a competitive club program serving youth athletes ages 11–18. Her passion for teaching the game and developing young players has made a lasting impact at all age levels.

“We are thrilled to welcome Karina Mickelson to Butte Central. Her experience as both a high-level player and youth coach will be a tremendous asset to our volleyball program” BC Activities Director Chad Petersen said in a statement. “Karina brings a winning mindset and a deep understanding of the game. We believe she will have a positive impact across all levels of the program. Our student-athletes are going to benefit greatly from her leadership and energy.”

Mickelson will begin working with the team this summer in preparation for the upcoming fall season.