Dennis Hutter is entering his 17th season as the Head Women’s Basketball Coach at Mayville State. Coach Hutter has been instrumental in turning the women’s basketball program around. The Comets have been a model of consistency during Coach Hutter’s seventeen year leadership. During the past nine seasons, the Comets have compiled an overall record of 149-68, for a winning percentage of .686, and they also have advanced to the National Tournament twice, advancing to the “Sweet Sixteen” in 2014. The Comets also have won numerous conference championships and conference tournament championships during that period.
During the 2020-21 season the Comets finsiehd the season with a 14-8 overall record and finished 8-6 in conference play giving them the fourth seed in the NSAA Tournament. In the opening round of the Conference Tournament, Mayville State defeated Valley City State by a final score of 56-53. In the semfinal round, they loss to Dakota State by a final of 55-72. Jordan Zrust was named NSAA First-Team All-Conference and was also named NAIA All-American Honorable Mention. Danneka Voegeli was named to NSAA Second-Team All-Conference in the 2020-21 season.
The Comets were Conference Champs this past season, defeating Viterbo in the NSAA Championship by a final score of 74-70. The Comets advanced to the National Tournament for the first time since 2014. Mayville State lost in the opening round of the 2020 National Tournament to Kansas Wesleyan to finish the season at 25-6. Claire Blascziek and Kylee Heuring were named to NSAA All-Conference First-Team. Heuring was also named NSAA Player of they Year and named Second-Team All-American.
Coach Hutter has developed numerous All-Conference and All-American players during his tenure at Mayville State. The Comets up-tempo style of play is very enjoyable for the players to play in, and also for the fans to watch. The Comets have ranked in the Top 10 in the country in numerous offensive categories over the past six years including: Points scored per game, three pointers made, three pointers attempted, three point field goal percentage, steals per game, and free throw percentage.
Coach Hutter has built the Comets women’s basketball family around the idea of Four Daily Do’s: 1) Great Effort, 2) Great Attitude, 3) Great Improvement 4) Great FUN!!!! The coaches and players focus on these Four Daily Do’s everyday both on and off the floor. Those are the four areas of their basketball game and their lives that the coaches and players have complete control of.
Prior to coming to Mayville State, Coach Hutter was the assistant coach at NCAA Division II Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, MN. Prior to that, he was the Head Girls Basketball Coach at Centennial High School in Blaine, MN. Coach Hutter graduated from Bethel College in St. Paul, MN with a degree in Physical education, and then received his Master’s Degree from Southwest Minnesota State University in Educational Leadership.
Coach Hutter lives in Mayville, ND with his wife Missy and their four children: Ali, Brianna, Jake and Cole.
