Sept. 24, 2004

Stony Brook, N.Y. - Michele Cherry was named assistant women's basketball coach at Stony Brook University, interim head coach Maura McHugh announced on Friday. Cherry joins the Seawolves' staff with eight seasons of coaching experience at the collegiate and professional levels.

"I am excited to have Michele join the Stony Brook women's basketball staff," said McHugh. "I have had the pleasure of working with Michele on both the college and professional levels. Her wealth of basketball knowledge and experience will make her a strong asset to the Stony Brook program."

Cherry arrives at Stony Brook after spending three seasons with the Sacramento Monarchs of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as an assistant coach under McHugh from 2001-03. During her tenure with the Monarchs, she helped guide the team to an appearance in the Western Conference Finals and coached several Olympians and all-conference players.

Before her time in Sacramento, Cherry spent two seasons as an assistant coach at California State University-Northridge.

Cherry also spent one season as an assistant under McHugh with the first-year franchise Long Beach StingRays of the American Basketball League (ABL) for the 1997-98 campaign. That season, she helped lead the team to a 32-22 record and to within one game of the ABL title.

Cherry began her career at Oregon State University in 1989-90 before transferring to Arizona State University, where she played for three seasons under McHugh from 1988-92, graduating in 1992 with a bachelor's degree in finance. She began her coaching career at her alma mater the following year, serving as an assistant coach for the 1992-93 campaign.