Women’s team seeks stability with new coach

The Detroit Mercy women’s basketball team limped to a 1-29 record last season after expe- riencing a complete roster turnover following a coaching scandal.

This year, the team is looking to move beyond its recent struggles and establish a new culture. While there is some semblance of stability with seven returning players, the Titans are welcoming four freshmen and a new coach in Kate Achter.

Achter attended Bowling Green University and has been on staff at Loyola-Chicago, St. Bonaventure and Xavier. She comes from a full family of coaches, including her father, who coached her as a child.

Achter said in an interview she plans to improve the team’s performance through bonding and familiarity and through practice.

Her first impression of campus, she said, was that it’s beautiful.

Achter and her wife, Tina, have two young children and said she’s glad to be in Michigan, near her grandparents.

She said she hopes to get the team more involved on campus and in the surrounding community.

Achter has added Colie Shelwick as director of recruiting, as well as Juanita Cochran and Kiefer Hafley as assistant coaches.

Gone is leading scorer Sydney Searcy, who averaged 10.1 points per game for the Titans last season.

The team’s leading rebounder, forward Irene Murua, is back for her junior season. She was third in scoring last year at 9.1 points per game.

The regular season begins with a long flight to Grand Forks, N.D., to take on the University of North Dakota.

The first regular season home game will be November 13 against Canisius.