Staff Directory

Rana El-Husseini

Title:
Player Development/Assistant Coach
E-Mail Address:
Year at CMU:
2nd
Hometown:
Dearborn, Mich.
Alma Mater/Year:
Edinboro '23, Buffalo M'24
Experience:
3rd year

El-Husseini enters her second season with the Chippewas in 2026-27 after aiding the Chippewas to an 18-12 record (12-6 MAC) in year three under Head Coach Kristin Haynie.

In her first season, the Chippewas collected the program’s first victory over a power-conference opponent since 2018 (Nov. 30, 2025 vs. Purdue), earned the program’s fifth MAC Player of the Year in Madi Morson and the fourth-seed in a second consecutive MAC tournament bid.

She joined the Chippewas after spending her first season in the coaching ranks with NCAA II University of Charleston (WV). The Golden Eagles posted a 16-14 record and advanced to the Mountain East Conference semifinal.

Her collegiate playing career concluded at Mid-American Conference rival Buffalo in 2023-24 after three seasons at NCAA II Edinboro (PA). She was a standout point guard and team captain in both spots.

El-Husseini graduated from Buffalo with a master’s in public health, was an All-MAC Tournament Team selection and became the third player in program history to record a triple-double—at 5-foot-3, she was the shortest to do so in NCAA I that season.

At Edinboro, she was a WBCA All-America honorable mention in her junior season with two All-PSAC West First Team nods and the PSAC West Freshman of the Year to her credit and finished her bachelor’s in exercise science.

A first-generation Arab American, El-Husseini competed for Lebanon in the 2023 West-Asia Cup and in the pre-qualification tournament in Rwanda for the 2024 FIBA World Cup. She reprised her playing career in the summer of 2026 as she joined Taadod Sports Club ahead of the professional Lebanese Basketball Federation playoffs.

El-Husseini coordinated three non-profit basketball camps in her hometown of Dearborn including equipment, operations and volunteer staff, utilizing funds raised to fund local AAU programs and offer scholarships for college-bound student-athletes.

At both Buffalo and Edinboro, El-Husseini spear-headed food drives that each collected over 1,000 pounds of food to be donated to community food pantries.

CAREER TIMELINE
Central Michigan; Assistant Coach, May 2025-present
Univ. of Charleston (NCAA II); Assistant Coach, 2024-25