A former Assistant Coach at Lewis under Head Coach Lisa Carlsen, Kierra McCleary returns for her second season on the Huskies’ coaching staff in 2016-17.
In her first season, the Murfreesboro, Tenn., native worked with alongside staff member John McGinty with the team’s guards, including Third Team All-MAC honoree Ally Lehman, who became just the fifth player in NIU history to average a double-double in a season.
On the recruiting front, McCleary helped fortify the Huskies back court, bringing in five guards while adding one forward to shore up the post. The Huskies added five players - all freshmen - during the early signing period Nov. 10. Over the summer, she aided in the signing of Butler transfer Nicole Orr.
McCleary came to Northern Illinois University after spending the last two seasons at Western Illinois, where she served as the recruiting coordinator for the Leathernecks. In her first season at WIU, the Leathernecks set a new record for points in a season with 2,392 and field goals in a season with 846.
Led by three All-Summit League selections, one All-Newcomer team selection and a CoSIDA Academic All-American (Ashley Luke), Western Illinois would go on to finish the 2013-14 season with a 14-16 record. WIU foes from the Horizon League, Conference USA, the Ohio Valley, the Atlantic-10 and WAC while finishing fifth in the Summit League, the Leathernecks best league finish since 2007-08.
The team surpassed that standard in 2014-15, finishing 17-13 overall and 9-7 in the Summit League to finish third in the regular season standings. Luke would finish the season as the Summit League’s Player of the Year, as well CoSIDA’s Academic All-American of the Year.
Prior to her two seasons at Western Illinois, McCleary worked one season at Lewis with Carlsen, helping the Flyers to the best turnaround in Division II during the 2012-13 season. Lewis finished the year 24-6, earning an NCAA Tournament berth, after finishing the 2011-12 season with an 8-20 mark.
A three-time captain at North Alabama, McCleary helped the Lions to an NCAA Tournament berth in 2010-11, the program’s first appearance since 1994. In her final season, North Alabama finished 21-7 and was a perfect 12-0 in the Gulf South Conference. The Murfreesboro, Tenn., native graduated from UNA in 2011 with a degree in business administration.
“Kierra worked for me three years ago and is a promising, up and coming coach,” said Head Coach Lisa Carlsen. She did a great job at Western Illinois and gained more and more responsibility there. “She adds a dynamic aspect for us, especially as a recruiter and her familiarity of this position especially at the
Division I level will be key.”
