Former Cincinnati women’s basketball player Katrina Merriweather will lead the program as its next head coach, Cincinnati athletics director John Cunningham announced Saturday. Here’s what you need to know:
- Merriweather replaces Michelle Clark-Heard, who the program parted with earlier this month after the Bearcats finished 9-21 on the season and last in the AAC (2-14).
- Merriweather, 43, played four seasons for the Bearcats and became Cincinnati’s first women’s basketball player to advance to four consecutive postseason tournaments.
- She then helped lead the program to its first NCAA Tournament win as a graduate assistant coach in 2001-02 before taking assistant coaching jobs at UIC, Purdue and Wright State. She was formerly the head coach at Wright State (2016-21) and Memphis (2021-22).
- Merriweather’s introductory news conference will take place Tuesday.
The Athletic’s instant analysis:
What it means for Cincinnati, Merriweather
It’s a homecoming for Merriweather. The Indianapolis native played her college ball for the Bearcats from 1997 to 2001, appearing in 107 career games under Cincinnati Hall of Fame coach Laurie Pirtle. Merriweather also spent one season as a graduate assistant for the Bearcats during the 2001-02 season.
The hire marks a significant reset for…
