Hall of Famer and 2004 graduate Diana (Esterkamp) Noles enters her eighth season as the head women's basketball coach at her alma mater in 2026-27, following seven previously as the program's full-time lead assistant.
Noles guided the team to a historic season in 2025-26, winning the OAC Tournament Championship for the first time in program history. With that win, the Cardinals advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in history, knocking off Randolph Macon 60-45 -- giving Noles her 100th career victory as a head coach.
Under her direction, Otterbein has earned back-to-back OAC Freshmen of the Year in Kiara Hudgins (2025) and Cameron Sparks (2026). Sparks was also selected as the Region 7 Freshman of the Year.
Noles led the Cardinals to within one possession of the OAC Tournament Championship game in 2022-23, as her squad dropped a tough 52-51 semifinal contest at top seed and eventual champion Ohio Northern.
A native of Cincinnati, Noles returned to coaching in the summer of 2012 after taking the previous three years (2008-11) away from the game to start a family. She served as a volunteer assistant for Otterbein during the 2005-06 season before going on to coach two years at Division II Ohio Dominican University (2006-08).
Her Cardinals earned the No. 2 seed in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Tournament during a pandemic-shortened season. That team finished with an 8-5 record, upsetting nationally-ranked and eventual champion John Carroll in the regular-season finale.
A 3x All-OAC performer, Noles is the program’s career leader in assists (674) and also ranks among the top 11 all-time in scoring, rebounding, and steals. She is the only Otterbein women’s basketball player to compile over 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 500 assists.
Noles, who had two triple-doubles as a player and ranked top-five nationally in assists three different seasons, finished off her career with an All-American selection in 2004 after guiding the Cardinals to their first 20-win season and a spot in the OAC Tournament championship. She led the program to a record of 72-33 over the course of her four seasons and, as a result of her success, was inducted into the Otterbein Athletics Hall of Fame in 2014.
Noles capped her time as lead assistant coach with Otterbein posting records of 17-10 and 16-11. She advised and mentored multiple All-OAC performers, including standout All-American Dani Kissel... who graduated as the program's second all-time leading scorer.
Noles and her husband, Pat, reside in Galena with their three children: son P.J., along with daughters Charlee and Jayla.
Career Record:
| Year |
Overall |
Conference |
OAC Tournament |
NCAAs |
| 2019-20 |
12-14 |
7-11 |
0-1 |
|
| 2020-21 |
8-5 |
8-4 |
0-1 |
|
| 2021-22 |
18-7 |
12-5 |
0-1 |
|
| 2022-23 |
17-10 |
12-6 |
1-1 |
|
| 2023-24 |
9-16 |
7-11 |
N/A |
|
| 2024-25 |
13-14 |
8-10 |
1-1 |
|
| 2025-26 |
23-6 |
14-2 |
2-0 |
1-1 |
| Totals |
100-72 |
66-49 |
4-5 |
1-1 |
