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Former Women's Basketball Assistants Find Success Coast to Coast (Sept. 18, 2014)
WBCA "So You Want To Be A Coach" Program
 
Two former members of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women's basketball program recently continued their ascension in the college coaching ranks.
 
Mary Merg (Greendale/Greendale), a two-time All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honoree and four-year standout for the Warhawks from 2010-14, recently accepted an intern position at NCAA Division I powerhouse Stanford University. Merg is perhaps best known for her two buzzer beaters – one at the end of regulation to tie the game and one at the end of overtime to win it – during the team's 64-62 victory over Amherst (Mass.) in the 2013 NCAA Tournament semifinals. The plays were No. 1 in ESPN SportsCenter's Top 10 that evening.
 
Tiffany Morton, a two-time All-American and first team All-WIAC selection from 2006-09 and graduate assistant from 2010-12, started her stint as an assistant coach at Mercer (Ga.) University, also a Division I program. Morton spent one season as an assistant coach at Wagner (N.Y.) College and is now working with her third Division I program.
 
Merg Impresses at Convention, Earns Invitation to Stanford
 
Merg, who spent the 2014-15 season as an assistant coach at Division III St. Mary's (Minn.) University, was nominated by UW-Whitewater head coach Keri Carollo for the 2015 Women's Basketball Coaches Association "So You Want To Be A Coach" program.
 
After completing her application, Merg was accepted and was one of 58 women invited to a three-day workshop held from April 3-5 in conjunction with the WBCA National Convention in Tampa, Fla.
 
After interviewing for the intern position at Stanford, Merg received a call from Cardinal head coach Tara VanDerveer, a 35-year coaching veteran and Women's Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, who offered Merg the position.
 
"I couldn't let this opportunity slip away," said Merg, who turned down several other offers to join the Cardinal staff. "Tara has won two national championships and is a coaching legend. I was up against former Division I athletes (for the position), so I wasn't expecting the offer at all."
 
During her 1-year stint at Stanford, which begins in late August, Merg said she will handle a lot of the "behind the scenes" work, including recruiting, video and other day-to-day operations. She will also attend every coaches meeting and practice.
 
"I'll be learning from the best," Merg said.
 
With seven trips to the NCAA Division III Tournament, including three trips to the national semifinals, over the last eight years, UW-Whitewater has experienced success similar to that of Stanford, which has reached the Division I Final Four in six of the last seven seasons.
 
"I was part of a phenomenal program, on and off the court, for four years," Merg said. "We are a powerhouse with a lot of good players. Stanford has also been dominant, so I expect to see the same type of work ethic."
 
The 2014 WIAC Women's Basketball Judy Kruckman Co-Scholar Athlete, Merg originally intended to be a high school teacher when she arrived on the UW-Whitewater campus in 2010. With the support of Carollo, she eventually decided her calling may be in coaching.
 
Merg's first coaching job was at St. Mary's, where the Cardinals finished 18-9 overall and tied for third in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in 2014-15.
 
For the next six weeks, Merg will continue roles in coaching for youth in the Milwaukee area and for the Wisconsin Lakers AAU program before her departure for Palo Alto, Calif., in late August. She will continue to pursue a master's degree in counseling by taking online courses through Concordia University Wisconsin.
 
"UW-Whitewater athletics is a powerhouse, and being a part of that atmosphere was special," Merg said. "Keri and the rest of the program helped me find my way, and have always supported me throughout my journey."
 
Morton Moves to Mid-Major Level
 
Morton, a native of Beloit, Wis., started as an assistant coach at Mercer on June 1 and is already making her impact in recruiting, traveling throughout the nation to help the Bears improve on their 20-15 record from the 2014-15 season.
 
She had a chance to meet her new team prior to the start of summer camps in early June.
 
"I can tell there's great chemistry with the players and staff," Morton said.
 
Morton made her way down to Macon, Ga., after one season at Wagner, which posted a 7-22 record last season but boasted NCAA Division I's No. 2 scorer in Jasmine Nwajei (24.8 ppg).
 
"It was a great opportunity," Morton said. "There were a lot of chances to make more connections and do some great networking. It was challenging, but it was a great learning year."
 
Morton was referred to her new position by a Wagner colleague who knew Mercer head coach Susie Gardner. The Bears compete at the mid-major level in the Southern Conference at an institution with 8,557 students, more than quadruple the enrollment at Wagner.
 
Morton spent the 2012-13 season at the University of Montevallo (Ala.) and the 2013-14 year at Louisiana State University, so she is familiar with the recruiting scene in the Southern states.
 
"I'm picking up where I left off in Alabama and Louisiana," Morton said. "I'm refreshing my memory of the coaches and teams (in the region)."
 
Through her development in coaching, Morton is fond of her memories and experiences with the Warhawks as a former coach and student-athlete. She said she spoke to Carollo during her drive from New York to Georgia in late May.
 
"In coaching, I always talk about a family atmosphere, knowing how good it was at UW-Whitewater," Morton said. "It is always near and dear to my heart. I was surrounded by great people and coaches."