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May 6, 2005

ORONO, Maine - The University of Maine announced today that Ann McInerney has been named the head coach of the Black Bear women's basketball team. McInerney has spent the past six seasons as head coach at Merrimack College, posting the highest winning percentage in school history and back-to-back trips to the NCAA Division II Final Four. She becomes the sixth head coach in Maine women's basketball history.

"Ann has proven to be a successful teacher and leader," said Maine Athletics Director Patrick Nero. "She has taken the Merrimack College women's basketball program to a level that they have never achieved before and I have great confidence that she will direct our women's basketball program in a similar manner. We were fortunate to have had an excellent candidate pool to choose from. Ann was one that we were identified from the start and as the process went on it became apparent to us that she would be a great coach for the University of Maine."

In six seasons at Merrimack, McInerney has an overall record of 119-65, including a 60-10 mark in the past two seasons. In the 2002-03 season, she guided the Warriors to a 21-9 record, the first 20+ win season in school history. The team reached the NCAA Division II Tournament for the first time in school history and reached the Regional semi-finals. The program continued to excel in the 2003-04 season, posting a 31-4 record, the best in school history. The Warriors finished the season ranked fourth in the nation. The team won the Northeast-10 regular season and tournament titles to advance to the NCAA Division II Tournament. After winning the Northeast Regional, the Warriors won in the Elite Eight to advance to the Final Four. McInerney was named the Northeast-10 Conference Coach of the Year, Northeast Regional Coach of the Year, and the New England Basketball Hall of Fame Division II Coach of the Year.

Last season, Merrimack was ranked seventh in the nation and finished the season with a 29-6 record. The team was Northeast-10 regular season co-champions and advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament. After winning the Northeast Regional and reaching the Elite Eight, the Warriors reached the Final Four for the second consecutive season.

Prior to Merrimack, McInerney was the top assistant coach at Bentley College from 1994 to 1999. While at Bentley, she helped direct the team to a 139-23 record, four regular season Northeast-10 conference championships, three conference tournament championships, four NCAA Division II Elite Eight Appearances and one appearance in the Final Four.

McInerney got her start in coaching as the head coach of Nichols College in Dudley, Massachusetts, in 1990. In two seasons she posted a 32-17 record. She spent 1992 to 1994 as an assistant basketball and assistant softball coach at Merrimack. With the softball team, she helped guide the Warriors to the 1994 National Championship.

A 1989 graduate of Assumption College with a degree in education and psychology, McInerney was Assumption's all-time leading scorer when she left with 1,406 points in her career. She earned Northeast-10 conference Player of the Year honors in 1989 and was inducted into the Assumption College Athletic Hall of Fame in October of 1997.

McInerney takes over a program that has a strong history of success as the dominate program in America East. In the past eleven years, the Black Bears have made seven appearances in the NCAA Tournament, won eight conference regular season championships, won five conference tournament titles, had two appearances in the WNIT and had six players named conference Player of the Year. Maine has had 20+ wins in twelve of the last fifteen seasons while leading the conference in attendance each season.

What They are Saying about Ann McInerney

University of Maine President Robert Kennedy
"Ann exemplifies, in an extraordinary way, all of the characteristics that we were searching for in our next women's basketball coach. She has had an outstanding career as a player, assistant coach and head coach. Her goals and values mirror the high standards in academics and athletics that characterize our student athletes and the University of Maine. I am delighted that Ann has agreed to join us and continue the great tradition of women's basketball at UMaine."

Merrimack College President Richard J. Santagati
"Ann is an extremely talented coach who took our women's basketball program to another level while she was here. When an individual is as talented and as successful as Ann has been, we realize that it becomes more difficult to keep her to ourselves. Obviously the Merrimack community is saddened to see Ann move on, but at the same time, we are very happy for her and wish her much luck in her new role."

Former Merrimack College player Morgan McEwen (Westbrook, Maine)
"I played for Ann for three years at Merrimack. The program was struggling when she arrived, but she completely changed the attitude of the program. She demands the best from her players. She also is a lot of fun to play for and we as players wanted to play hard for her. Ann brought a lot of great kids into the program, including a lot from Maine. There is a lot of talent to be found in Maine and Ann knows the state very well. I think everyone will love her at the University of Maine."

Former University of Maine player Missy Traversi
"Ann recruited me four years ago when I was coming out of high school. The Merrimack players speak very highly of her. She is concerned about the difficult balance between being a student and being an athlete, which as a player I appreciate. Ann is very intense on the court and wants to be the best. She comes from a tradition of winning and I think she will be a great fit here at the University of Maine."