FORMER FERRIS WOMEN'S BASKETBALL STANDOUT HIRED BY MICHIGAN

Tianna Kirkland Joins Wolverines Women's Basketball Coaching Staff

Kirkland, who brings five years of NCAA Division I coaching experience to Ann Arbor, has joined the staff of recently-appointed Michigan women's basketball head coach Kevin Borseth. A Flint, Mich., native, Kirkland spent the 2006-07 campaign as an assistant coach at Eastern Michigan under Suzy Merchant. Prior to her post at EMU, Kirkland was an assistant coach at Butler from 2004-06 and a graduate assistant at Central Michigan from 2002-04. She enjoyed a successful four-year playing career at Ferris State (1997-01), which was capped off by her being chosen as the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Player of the Year in 2000-01.

Kirkland became the first FSU women's basketball player to earn All-America honors as she was named to the Division II Women's Basketball Bulletin Third Team All-America squad as a senior (2000-01). She was also the first All-Great Lakes Region selection in Bulldog history after leading FSU to a 16-11 overall record in her final campaign.

The 28-year old Kirkland helped Eastern Michigan to a 16-13 overall mark this past season under Merchant, who missed most of the 2006-07 season on maternity leave before being selected Monday (April 30) as the new women's basketball head coach at Michigan State. Merchant will succeed Joanne P. McCallie, who was hired earlier this month by Duke University.

Prior to her appointment at EMU, Kirkland spent two years at NCAA-I Butler where she oversaw the team's travel operations, assisted with scouting and recruiting along with being the program's camp director in addition to her on-court coaching responsibilities. Before her stint at Butler, Kirkland received her coaching start at Central Michigan by coordinating the team's film exchange, scout team and mangers while also being involved with individual skill development, on-floor duties and recruiting.

As a collegian, Kirkland led the Bulldogs in rebounding three consecutive years and was the team's top scorer in both her junior and senior campaigns. The four-year letterwinner helped the Bulldogs to their first NCAA Division II National Tournament appearance in 1999-00. Kirkland, who played under current FSU head coach Tracey Bloodworth-Fisk, finished her career with 926 points, 705 rebounds and 40 blocked shots. She presently ranks 16th on the program's career scoring list and is fourth in total rebounds at Ferris State. Kirkland led the GLIAC in rebounding (10.1 rpg) and earned All-GLIAC First Team honors as a senior after attaining second team recognition her junior campaign.

A two-sport athlete, Kirkland also competed in track and field at Ferris. She claimed All-America accolades three times during her Bulldog track career. Kirkland placed fifth in the shot put and sixth in the discus at the 2002 NCAA-II Outdoor Championships along with fourth in the shot put at the 2002 NCAA-II Indoor Championships. She continues to hold the school's outdoor record (153-7) in the discus.

Kirkland, who played prep basketball at Flint Kearsley High School, graduated from Ferris in 2002 and holds a bachelor's degree in applied biology. She's currently pursing a master's degree in business administration from Central Michigan.

In addition to Kirkland, Borseth also hired former Grand Valley State associate head coach Mike Williams to complete his first Wolverine coaching staff. Williams will reunite with former GVSU head coach Dawn Plitzuweit, who previously was hired as Borseth's associate head coach and top assistant at UM. Borseth most recently spent nine years as the head coach at NCAA-I Wisconsin-Green Bay following an 11-year stint at GLIAC-member Michigan Tech.