METRO ROUNDUP: SMWC hires coaches for women's basketball, women's soccer

Jul. 1—Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College announced the hiring of two coaches Thursday.

Terry Bowe has been named the fifth head women's basketball coach and Ron Kiernicki has been appointed interim coach of the women's soccer team.

Bowe inherits the program from Scot MacAllister, who guided the Pomeroys to a 14-14 season which concluded with a runner-up finish in the final season as part of the USCAA.

Bowe has served as the associate vice president of human resources at SMWC since finishing a 21-year tenure as head men's basketball coach in 2019 at Lakeland Community College. Bowe holds the school record at Lakeland with 314 career wins and a .609 winning percentage during his time in addition to four conference championships, five NJCAA Region XII Championships, five trips to the NJCAA National Tournament and one Final Four in 2012. In last two years with Lakeland the team won back-to-back region titles and received bid to the national tournament only to have the season cut short due to Covid.

"Coach Bowe's familiarity with the program and the institution will allow for a seamless change in leadership for our program," associate vice president of athletics Ron Prettyman said. "I anticipate we will be able to move forward with the positive things that have developed in the program to this point, and with new leadership, bring creative ways to impact that program that will take us to new heights."

Bowe, a Cleveland native who played NCAA Division III basketball at Baldwin Wallace University in Berea, Ohio, is excited to return to the sideline after three years away from the game.

"My last year, I had to end it, not on my terms, because of COVID. Now, this gives me an opportunity to hone back in on coaching and come back in with an institution where athletics is a huge part of really developing the whole student, academically and athletically, with a great group of young women that are returning. I'm certainly excited about the opportunity."

The Pomeroys return a vast majority of players from last year's team, which will enter its second season in the NAIA River States Conference.

Kiernicki steps up to replace Craig Hendry, who resigned as Saint Mary-of-the-Woods women's soccer coach.

Kiernicki takes the reins of a program coming off an 8-5-6 season overall with a solid roster returning to the squad.

"I'm beyond thrilled. This has been one of my ultimate goals to expand my executive leadership as a coach. I've done a lot with soccer over the years and this is what I've been shooting for," Kiernicki said.

Hendry led SMWC to its best win total since 2013, but, as a full-time teacher in the Southwest Sullivan School Corporation, he will have the opportunity to spend more time with his family.

"I'll certainly miss being a part of the program and working with such a fantastic group of young women," Hendry said.

Kiernicki, a Brazil native, has an extensive history in youth soccer in the Wabash Valley. He founded the Clay Youth Soccer Club in Brazil, serving as its executive director in addition to coaching travel teams from 2007 to 2015.

Kiernicki was the Northview High School boys soccer coach for the 2012 and 2013 seasons.

He looks forward to inheriting a talented team that looks to make strides in its second NAIA season in the River States Conference. The Pomeroys narrowly missed qualifying for the RSC tournament.

Kennedy Trigg tied for the RSC lead with 13 goals to earn second-team All-RSC honors to lead a young squad.

"I've built a relationship with many of these ladies. It's a championship team. They made it to nationals last year. We're hoping to continue that success," Kiernicki said. "The recruiting class coming in is really strong. It's a super exciting team. There's no reason we shouldn't be able to pick up where we left off."

Football

—ISU second — For the second consecutive season, the University of North Dakota has earned the Missouri Valley Football Conference All-Academic Award, the league office has announced.

The award is based on the average student-athlete grade-point average for the previous academic year. GPA calculations include all student-athletes who compete, practice or receive athletic aid during the academic year.

North Dakota football student-athletes led the way in the MVFC with a 3.222 gpa, trailed by Indiana State (3.214) and North Dakota State (3.124).

Fishing

—Patriots compete — At Paris, Ill., Terre Haute North's bass fishing team had an event recently.

Cole Berry and Graham Palmer won with a combined catch of 17 pounds, 12 ounces.

Wesley Mickelson and Carter Grim were second at 11 pounds, 6 ounces, and Zander Ashley and Maddox Dowell were third at 9 pounds, 1 ounce.

Ashley won the Big Bass award with a 4-pound, 2-ounce bass.

Golf

—Ace at Rea — Christian Telle got his first hole-in-one recently at Rea Park.

Telle used an 8-iron on the 148-yard third hole. Witnesses were his parents, Brian and Lisa Telle.