Courtesy of SIUE Athletics
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – SIUE softball Head Coach Sandy Montgomery announced Tuesday that Brittini Merchant has joined the program as an assistant coach.
Merchant comes to SIUE after spending last season with Northwestern University of the Big Ten Conference.
“I am excited to join the coaching staff at SIUE,” said Merchant. “I cannot wait to add to the tradition and success that Coach Montgomery has established. I am thrilled to begin working with the student-athletes and working towards winning many more Ohio Valley Conference championships and making a serious run in the NCAA tournament.”
Merchant was a volunteer assistant coach for the Wildcats last season and was part of a coaching staff that received an at-large bid the NCAA Tournament. She also has experience at the NCAA Division I level as a volunteer assistant at the University of Minnesota.
A four-year letter winner at Central Michigan University, she was a member of the Mid-American Conference All-Freshman team in 2008. Merchant was a two-time All-Conference shortstop for the Chippewas.
“She was a very good shortstop in college so she will be assisting with the infielders,” said Montgomery. “She also will assist with the offense and handling much of the video breakdown responsibilities.”
Montgomery said Merchant will have recruiting responsibilities as well as a number of other administrative duties.
“She is going to have a lot of oversight administratively,” added Montgomery. “She will have her hand in every aspect of the program.”
Merchant joins the Cougars after a 43-win campaign during the 2015 season in which SIUE won its first OVC regular season crown.
“We’re very excited to have Brittini as part of the program,” said Montgomery. “She has a great passion for coaching and a work ethic to go along with it.”
