McInerney to coach UM team Past jobs include Merrimack, Bentley

Ann McInerney, who directed Merrimack College to consecutive appearances in the NCAA Division II Final Four the last two seasons, is expected to be named the next head women’s basketball coach at the University of Maine.

The Bangor Daily News has learned the 37-year-old McInerney will be introduced today during an afternoon press conference on the Orono campus.

Her appointment is contingent on approval by University of Maine System Chancellor Joseph Westphal.

McInerney will replace Sharon Versyp, who resigned April 8 after five seasons as UMaine’s coach to take the head coaching position at Indiana University.

In six seasons as the head coach at Merrimack in North Andover, Mass., McInerney’s teams combined to post a 119-65 record (a .647 winning percentage) and made three straight NCAA Tournament appearances from 2003-05. The Warriors, who compete in the Northeast-10 Conference, went all the way to the NCAA Sweet 16 each of those years.

She was the Northeast-10 and WBCA Division II regional coach of the year in 2004 after directing Merrimack to its first Final Four appearance.

The hiring of McInerney also may result in a homecoming for former Black Bears player Kathy Karlsson. The Auburn native, a 1991 UMaine graduate who played for former coaches Peter Gavett and Trish Roberts, was the top assistant at Merrimack during McInerney’s tenure.

Last season, Karlsson was the Warriors’ associate head coach and she is expected to apply for the same position at UMaine. She also served as Merrimack’s NCAA Senior Woman Administrator and was its assistant athletic director.

UMaine also may seek to provide some continuity within the program by adding another former player to the coaching staff. Former co-captain Kim Corbitt, last season’s America East Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, is expected to apply for one of the assistant coaching jobs.

McInerney comes to Orono with strong New England roots. The Worcester, Mass., native played college ball in her hometown at Assumption College, where she graduated in 1989 as the school’s all-time leading scorer (1,406 points) and third leading rebounder.

McInerney, who holds a B.S. in education and psychology, began her coaching career with a two-year stint at Nichols (Mass.) College, where her teams went 32-17. She then was an assistant coach for two years at Merrimack, where she also assisted with the softball team, before beginning a five-year tenure as the top assistant at then-Division II power Bentley College.

While McInerney was at Bentley, the Falcons compiled a 139-23 record.