CMU SPORTS Coaching Change for the Lady Eagles
CMU photo by Cathy Thogmorton
Following the Lady Eagles’ season, head coach Doug Fessler stepped down after nine years with the women’s basketball program at Central. He will be leaving CMU later this year to assume a teaching position with the Harrisburg (Mo.) School District. During Fessler’s tenure as head coach at CMU, the Lady Eagle program has produced 14 NAIA Scholar All-Americans, including five this season, two 1,000-point scorers, and six All-Conference performers. Andrea L. Brooks, an NCAA Division II coach, becomes the new women’s head basketball coach at CMU. She will also serve as an instructor in the CMU Athletic Department. Brooks has served as assistant coach of women’s basketball and recruiting coordinator for the past year with Quincy (Ill.) University. She assumed her coaching duties with CMU in April. Prior to her work at Quincy University, Brooks served as assistant coach and direcAndrea Brooks tor of basketball operations at Bradley University, an NCAA Division I school, in Peoria, Ill., from 2003 to 2005. A 1999 graduate – and valedictorian – of Hickman High School in Columbia, Brooks was a point guard for the Kewpies all four years of school. She also played as a point guard through four years of college, including two at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, 1999-2001, and two at Western State College of (Gunnison) Colorado, 2001-2003, where she earned her bachelor’s degree with a major in kinesiology with minors in art and English. She holds a master’s degree in English from Bradley University and graduated with a 4.0 GPA. Brooks has “We felt that she was the bt choice for CMU; family ties she brings excellent coaching and rruiting skills to Columwith her from NCAA Division I and Division II bia where her Jim schools, as well as strong academic credentials.” father, Sutherland, Ken Oliver, Vice President for Campus Life recently announced that he would retire both as boys’ basketball coach at Hickman High School and from teaching this spring. Brooks’ brother, Jason Sutherland, played men’s basketball at the University of Missouri-Columbia from 1993 to 1997.
Additional Coaches Hired at CMU Kenneth Oliver, vice president of campus life at Central Methodist University, and head Football Coach Merle Masonholder have announced the hiring of Gregg Nesbitt and Mike Brooks as assistant
football coaches for the Eagles. Oliver, long active in CMU athletics, also serves as CMU’s director of athletics. Nesbitt comes from Hickman High School, in Columbia, where he spent the last 13 seasons as the head football coach. He also has collegiate coaching experience from Northeast Missouri State University (now Truman State), where he was the defensive coordinator during the 1990-1992 seasons when the Bulldogs made it to the NCAA II National Playoffs. Nesbitt will continue his teaching responsibilities at Hickman High School, while serving as the outside linebacker coach for Central Methodist University. Brooks, husband of new head women’s basketball coach Andrea L. (Andi) Brooks (see story left), was an assistant football coach with Quincy (Ill.) University prior to joining CMU. He also played football during college at Western State College in Gunnison, Colo., and at the University of Nebraska-Omaha and in the semi-pro leagues. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Western State, where he majored in communications, with a minor in theatre. Also joining the coaching ranks this year at CMU is Jim Sutherland, father of Andi (Sutherland) Brooks, who will be serving as an assistant basketball coach in the women’s program. Brooks retired earlier this year from Hickman High School in Columbia, Mo., where he had been a teacher for many years and boys’ basketball coach.
YOU ARE INVITED! Central Methodist University 2006 Hairston Hall of Fame Game September 16 This year’s inductees: Amy Dority ’97 Greg Hession ’88 Mike Nichols ’87 David Fox ’83 Larry Anderson ’67
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