To celebrate Women's History Month, EOU Athletics is recognizing each of the 17 women leaders that work in the Mountaineers Athletic Department.
The list of women leaders features three athletic trainers, six head coaches, six assistant coaches, three senior administrators, one of which is the department's Athletic Director and Head Women's Basketball Coach, Anji Weissenfluh.
Anji Weissenfluh - Director of Athletics/Head Women's Basketball Coach
At the helm of athletics since 2012, Anji Weissenfluh has been a part of the Mountaineer success on the fields and courts, as well as, in the community and classroom.
Weissenfluh wears many hats at EOU. She is involved in campus facility development, including the "Building Champions Campaign" that resulted in state-of-the-art turf playing field for football, women's lacrosse, men's and women's soccer and a new track facility for the nationally recognized track/field program. She is an active member of the Executive Leadership Team composed of senior administrators at EOU, and has a strong voice in the development of the new EOU fieldhouse that will include a practice area for multiple sports and a number of classrooms/labs for the general student population. In Weissenfluh's spare time, she is the head coach of the women's basketball team.
On the court, Weissenfluh enters her 21st year at the helm of the EOU women's basketball team and seventh year as the athletic director for the Mountaineers. During her time at EOU, Weissenfluh has posted 16 seasons of 20+ wins, and has guided the Mountaineers to 11 appearances in the NAIA Division II Women's Basketball National Championships, including three quarterfinal appearances in 2012, 2013 and 2016.
During her tenure at EOU, the Mountaineers have either shared or won outright 11 Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) regular season titles and won five conference tournament championships.
Weissenfluh was a four-year starter for the Mountaineer women's basketball team and was an all-conference selection. Weissenfluh holds the school record for steals (227) after four seasons on the hardwood. Upon completion of her eligibility, she became the head softball coach at EOU.
As the school's first softball coach, Weissenfluh led the Mountaineers to over 250 victories in 11 seasons. During that time frame, Weissenfluh was named Coach of the Year on five separate occasions. Weissenfluh graduated from EOU in 1994 with a bachelor's degree in Physical Education and Health.
Samantha Flett - Assistant Athletic Director for Marketing and Communications
Samantha Flett joined the EOU Athletics Department as the Assistant Athletic Director for Marketing & Communications in January 2020.
Flett oversees the day-to-day external operations in the Division of Athletics, including oversight and leadership of sports information, marketing, promotions, communications, fundraising, sponsorships, and equipment management. Prior to joining the athletics department, Flett worked in the University Advancement department for EOU from 2017-19.
Flett received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Media Arts and Communications from EOU in June 2012, and went on to obtain her Master's of Business Administration degree in June 2014 while serving as a Graduate Assistant Coach for EOU Women's Basketball.
Mary Teresa Barnett - Assistant Athletic Director for Eligibility and Student Success
Mary Teresa Barnett was named the Eligibility Coordinator for Eastern Oregon Athletics in August 2016.
Barnett's main duties include assisting student-athletes and coaches in remaining eligible through EOU, as well as the NAIA, Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC), and Frontier Conference. She plays a vital role in supporting student-athletes in various challenges and accomplishments in athletic competition, the classroom, and the community.
In 2016, she earned her Master of Arts degree in Education from Washington State University (WSU), where she focused in sport management and completed a comparative analysis pertaining to the contentment of varsity collegiate athletes and students. Barnett is a native of Hermiston, Oregon
Kaki McLean Morehead - Head Volleyball Coach
Kaki McLean Morehead is in her 14th season at the helm of the Mountaineer volleyball program. Under the direction of Morehead, EOU has made six-straight CCC tournament appearances. During Morehead's 13-year tenure, the EOU alumna has had student-athletes earn 17 All-American awards and 26 first-team all-conference honorees.
Prior to her coaching career, Morehead was a three-year standout on the hardwood for the EOU volleyball team. In addition to being a three-time first-team all-league honoree, Morehead was named to the Honorable Mention All-NAIA Region I squad.
The Paulina, Ore., native graduated from Crook County High School in 2001, where she earned first-team all-state honors for volleyball during her senior season. One year after graduating from EOU, Morehead became the Mountaineers' assistant volleyball coach in 2005.
Carlene Sluberski - Head Women's Wrestling Coach
Carlene Sluberski was named the Eastern Oregon Head Women's Wrestling Coach in November 2020, becoming the third head coach in the program's history. In her first year for the Mountaineers, she helped nine grapplers advance to the NAIA Women's National Invite where two earned All-American honors.
Prior to EOU, Sluberski served as the head coach at University of Providence in Montana for two years. Sluberski attended the Northern Michigan University Olympic Education Center from 2009-12 before transferring to Brock University in St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology in May 2016. Sluberski went on to receive her Master of Arts degree in Teaching from UC in December 2018.
Monica Plut - Head Women's Lacrosse Coach
Monica Plut enters her first season as head coach of Mountaineer Women's Lacrosse in 2021. She was named the program's first ever head coach in January 2020. Prior to joining EOU, Plut was the head coach at NCAA Division II school Adams State University in Alamosa, Colo. for one season.
Plut started her coaching career in 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. She then moved to Lexington and became the head coach for the Woodford County Yellow Jackets in 2016. Plut is a US Lacrosse Level 3 certified coach and also a US Lacrosse Certified Coaching Development Level 1 and Level 2 Trainer.
Prior to coaching, Plut started the club women's lacrosse team at Georgia Southern University. Plut graduated from Georgia Southern in 2014 with a Bachelor's degree in General Studies with a concentration in Business Management and Marketing and a minor in Psychology. She is currently working towards her Master's in Applied Sports Psychology at Adams State.
Nicole Christian - Head Softball Coach
Nicole Christian enters her second season as head coach of Mountaineer Softball in 2021. She was named the sixth head coach in program history in June 2019. Prior to joining EOU, Christian was the head softball coach and assistant girls' basketball coach at McLoughlin Union High School (Mac-High) since 2008.
Before Mac-High, Christian was the softball bench boss at Umatilla High School from 2005-08. She spent some time in the junior college ranks as the head coach at Blue Mountain Community College from 2003-05 as well. Christian began her coaching career in 2001 when she was named the head softball coach for La Grande High School.
As a collegiate athlete, Christian is no stranger to EOU, having been a four-year starter for the Mountaineers and was a two-time All-American. Christian received her Bachelor's of Science degree in Physical Education and Health from EOU in 2011.
Kathleen Brown - Head Cheer & Dance Coach
Kathleen Brown is going into her second season as the head coach of the Mountaineer Cheer and Dance team in 2020-21. Brown has seven years of cheer experience and two years of coaching experience. Prior to her coaching career, Brown has been a CORE instructor, Tutor Coordinator, and Student Success Coordinator for EOU since 2012.
Malia Mills - Assistant Volleyball Coach
Malia Mills enters her third year assisting Coach Morehead and the EOU Volleyball team. Before her time as a coach, Malia played for Coach Morehead from 2014-2017. As a player, Malia was a key defensive leader for the Mountaineers tallying 346 digs her senior season. Over her four years, Malia won three Cascade Collegiate Conference regular season championships. Malia is a native of Imbler, Oregon. She graduated from EOU with a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration before earning a Master's degree in Business Administration in December 2019.
Theresa Manley - Assistant Softball Coach
Theresa Manley enters her fourth year coaching at EOU. Manley graduated from New Plymouth High School in Idaho where she was a three-sport athlete. Following graduation, Manley chose to play softball at Walla Walla Community College where she graduated with an Associate's degree. She then transferred to Eastern Oregon University for the 2006-08 seasons. Manley graduated with a Bachelor's in Science in Physical Education and Health in 2008 and stayed on the softball coaching staff for the 2009 and 2010 seasons. Manley married her husband Jeff Manley in 2011 and has two sons.
Tiffanie Ulmer - Assistant Women's Basketball Coach
Tiffanie Ulmer enters her 13th season assisting Coach Weissenfluh and the EOU Women's Basketball team. Originally from Ellensburg, Washington, Ulmer graduated from Ellensburg High School in 2004 before going on to play basketball at Yakima Valley Community College from 2004-06. Ulmer then transferred to Eastern Oregon University where she played basketball and did track and field. Ulmer graduated from EOU in 2008, and has been assisting Coach Weissnfluh and the Women's Basketball team since.
Rebecca Rhodes - Assistant Track & Field Coach
Rebecca Rhodes joined the Mountaineers Track & Field team in August 2017. She has been an instrumental part of Eastern Oregon's recent success. Rhodes came to EOU after a successful three-year stint in Pennsylvania, most recently at Misericordia in Dallas, Penns. Prior to Misericordia, Rhodes served as the Assistant Track & Field Coach at Moravian College in 2014-15 in Bethlehem, Penn.
As a student-athlete, Rhodes competed at the University of Oregon and was a two-time Pac-12 scorer for the Ducks and qualified for the NCAA West Region meet as well. She graduated from Oregon with her Bachelor of Science degree and received her MBA with a concentration in Sports Management during her time at Misericordia University.
Bobbye Pendleton - Associate Head Women's Soccer Coach
Bobbye Pendleton is in her fourth year at EOU as the Associate Head Women's Soccer Coach. In her first three seasons Pendleton helped lead the Mounties to three Cascade Conference regular season titles and two Cascade Conference championships. Pendleton is a native of Anchorage, Alaska and played soccer collegiately at Presentation College.
Heather Watson - Assistant Cheer and Dance Coach
Heather Watson joined the Mountaineer Cheer and Dance coaching staff at the end of the 2020 calendar year. She has been a dance teacher and choreographer at Beckie's Studio of Dance for over 20 years and holds several dance certificates from numerous dance workshops. From 2016-2018 Heather choreographed musicals at the Elgin Opera House. Originally from Modesto, California; however now a La Grande "native," Heather is married to EOU Men's Soccer coach, Jessy Watson, and together they have three daughters.
Hilary Ishii - Assistant Athletic Trainer
Hilary Ishii joined the Eastern Oregon University athletic training staff in January 2016. Prior to joining the EOU staff, Ishii worked at Eastern New Mexico University from 2012-15. Ishii graduated from Eastern Washington University with a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training, then went on to get her Master of Science in Behavioral Science-Psychology from Cameron University.
Liz Flom - Assistant Athletic Trainer
Liz Flom, originally from Portland, Oregon, is in third season with the Mountaineers. Before accepting the position at EOU, Flom was the Athletic Trainer for all sports at Northwest Christian from 2016-2018. Prior to this, Flom was the Assistant Athletic Trainer at South Dakota School of Mines. Flom received her Master's in Athletic Training from Montana State University in 2009. In 2007 she graduated from EOU with a bachelor's degree in Physical Education & Health with an Exercise Science Emphasis.
Jessie Rozario - Assistant Athletic Trainer
Jessie Rozario, originally from Sacrameno, California, is in her first year with the Mountaineers. Rozario graduated from Southern Oregon University in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Health and Physical Activity with a Minor in Psychology. She then went on to receive her Master's in Athletic Training from Oregon State University in 2018. As a student-athlete, Rozario ran cross country and track and field at Southern Oregon where she received All-American honors in the DMR.
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