McClure leads new volleyball staff at Alverno
MILWAUKEE, Wis. -- The volleyball program at Alverno College will have new leadership this season as Brad Duckworth, Director of Athletics, announced the hiring of a new volleyball staff for the Inferno. Crystal McClure was named head volleyball coach and Heather Mernitz was named an assistant coach for the 2008 season.

McClure will be the fourth head coach in the program's history, taking over a squad that went 2-27 in 2007 and 7-20 in 2006.

McClure comes to Alverno as a recent graduate of St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin. As a player she was a member of two conference championship teams who participated in two NCAA Division III Championship tournaments. She was a three-time First Team All-Midwest Conference player, including conference player of the year in 2005 for the Green Knights.

McClure was most recently the head coach for the West Allis Lightning 15s, and previously for the Green Bay Select 15s. She has Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from St. Norbert. Mernitz will be the assistant coach for the Inferno this season, adding to her duties of Assistant Professor of Physical Science (Biochemistry) at the college.

Mernitz played both volleyball and softball at Kalamazoo College in Michigan, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry and Economics. She also holds a Masters degree in Human Nutrition and a PhD in Nutritional Biochemistry and Metabolism from Tufts University.

Mernitz has coached multiple sports in her career, including volleyball, tennis and softball. She has coached at Kalamazoo, Beloit College and MIT. She has participated in USAV Nationals at the B/BB level in both women's and co-ed competition.

The Inferno will open up the 2008 season at the Warrior Invitational at Wisconsin Lutheran College in Milwaukee on August 29 and 30. The team will then host Ripon College on Friday, September 5 in the home-opener at 7:00pm.

Courtesy of Alverno College, Sports Information Department, August 9, 2008.