WSU hires Merriweather to lead women’s basketball program

Wright State has hired Katrina Merriweather, who was an assistant at the school the last six seasons, to be the new women’s basketball coach.

Merriweather, 36, succeeds Mike Bradbury, who left to become the head coach at New Mexico last month.

“I am excited beyond words for the opportunity to be the head coach at Wright State,” Merriweather said. “This is a very special program that has come a long way, and I am proud to be entrusted to continue what Mike Bradbury has started.”

Merriweather arrived at Wright State with Bradbury in 2010 after working as an assistant at Purdue, Illinois-Chicago and Cincinnati, her alma mater.

In the six seasons Merriweather and Bradbury worked together at WSU, the Raiders won 128 games and advanced to postseason play five times, including the program’s first ever NCAA tournament in 2014.

“”Trina has been part of the Raider family for six years and has had a major impact on our women’s basketball program and the unprecedented success they have achieved during that time,” WSU athletic director Bob Grant said. “She not only fits perfectly into our culture, she has helped define our culture in those six years. Trina has a rare mix of talent, experience and personality that I think will make her a tremendous head coach.”

Merriweather becomes the seventh head coach in WSU history. An Indianapolis native, she graduated from UC in 2001 with a degree in English literature and earned a second degree in secondary education in 2002.

While Merriweather was coaching at Cincinnati with Laurie Pirtle, the Bearcats advanced to postseason play at four years, including a trip to the NCAA tournament in 1989 and WNIT in 1998, 2000 and 2001 as UC went 83-41 during her tenure there.

“I was taught early in my coaching career that it’s the people who make a place special and I have been fortunate to be surrounded with amazingly loyal, talented and supportive people who believe in the importance of the overall student-athlete experience,” Merriweather said. “I want to thank President (David) Hopkins and Bob Grant for believing in the values and vision that I hold dear.

“It is my goal to continue to bring in quality staff and student-athletes that will represent the university in a high-quality fashion on and off the court.”

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