MEMPHIS, Tenn. — One day after a Memphis Tigers Women's Basketball player made national headlines for punching a player at the handshake line of their WNIT loss to Bowling Green, the University of Memphis announced head coach Katrina Merriweather is resigning.
“Earlier today, head women’s basketball coach Katrina Merriweather informed athletic department leadership and our team that she will be resigning to take a position at another institution," University of Memphis Athletics Director Laird Veatch said. "Coach Merriweather has been transparent with us throughout the process over recent days, and she arrived at her decision despite our significant efforts to retain her."
Veatch said Merriweather's decision was entirely independent from the circumstances surrounding the end of their season.
A Memphis Tigers women's basketball player is now charged with assault after the confrontation in the postgame handshake line following Bowling Green's win over Memphis on Thursday night in the Women's NIT.
According to our sister station WTOL in an update Friday, Bowling Green State University athletics released a statement saying Memphis' Jamirah Shutes has been charged with assault.
The process of identifying the next leader for Memphis Tiger Women’s Basketball will begin immediately, Veatch said.
“We anticipate strong national interest in the opportunity due in part to the significant progress Coach Merriweather and our student-athletes achieved, as well as the ongoing investments we have made in recent years and the tremendous support of Tiger Nation," Veatch said. "As displayed with sold-out crowds at our WNIT games last week, Memphis is one of the great basketball cities in America. We thank Coach Merriweather and her staff and wish them all the best.”
Merriweather led the Tigers to a 22-11 record in 2022-2023 and a berth in the Women's National Invitational Tournament, their best single season in years.
