Oakland University head women's basketball coach Beckie Francis announced today the hiring of two assistant coaches to round off her staff -- Katina Mack and Holly Mierzejewski. The two will join Francis and Bob Nichols for the 2000-01 season. Mack will fill the role of recruiting coordinator/assistant coach, a newly created position at OU, while Mierzejewski will serve as an assistant coach. Mack joins the OU staff after serving two years at Iona College as an assistant coach (1998-00). Prior to Iona, she was the Development Assistant for Athletics at her alma mater Penn State (1996-98). As a player, Mack led the Nittany Lions to two consecutive Big Ten Conference Tournament titles in 1995 and 1996 and made four appearances in the NCAA Tournament. She was the sixth all-time leading scorer in Penn State history (1,463 points), posting 77 career double-figure scoring games. While at PSU, the Monticello, New York native earned honorable mention Big Ten honors once and second team All-Big Ten plaudits twice. She was a semifinalist for the WBCA College All-Star Team in 1995-96. "Katina, with her playing experience at Penn State, brings major Division I playing and coaching experience to OU," Francis said. "She is a great recruiter and will add to our program in many ways. Katina is a big-time hire for Oakland." Mierzejewski comes to Oakland from Miami University where she served as an assistant from 1998-00. Prior to her stint at Miami, she was a science teacher and seventh grade girls basketball coach at Wilson Junior High in Hamilton, Ohio (1997-98) and a science teacher at Roaring Fork High School in Carbondale, Colorado (1996-97). As a player, Mierzejewski was a four-year letterwinner at Miami. The Walled Lake Western HS graduate earned All-Mid-American Conference and All-Academic Team honors while at Miami. Mierzejewski graduated in 1995 with a degree in education. "Holly beat out a number of candidates in a national search," Francis said. "Her playing and coaching experience from Miami and her high school playing experience from nearby Walled Lake Western set her apart from the other candidates. She has great contacts in both Michigan and Ohio. "Holly graduated Summa Cum Laude and will provide great leadership in the academic arena as well."