NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – Merrimack College Women's Basketball Head Coach
Kelly Morrone agreed to a long-term extension to remain with the program,
Fr. Bryan Kerns, O.S.A., Vice President and Chief of Staff to the President and Interim Vice President for Athletics, announced on Thursday, April 3.
"Our women's basketball program has a bright future with
Kelly Morrone as the head coach," said Merrimack College President Christopher E. Hopey, Ph.D. "Under Kelly's leadership, the women's basketball program continues to grow and demonstrate the best of the Merrimack Warrior spirit. She has been instrumental in enhancing the reputation of our Division I athletics and we are thrilled she will continue to be part of the Merrimack family."
"For the past five years, our women's basketball program has defied expectations on the court because of Kelly's coaching, mentorship and drive," said Kerns. "The high caliber and intense level of basketball her teams play have led to deep runs in conference tournaments and big wins over formidable opponents. We look forward to seeing the heights Merrimack women's basketball will reach with Kelly on the sidelines."
"It is truly an honor to continue serving as head coach of this basketball program," said Morrone. "I deeply value the opportunity to work alongside the talented student-athletes, coaches and colleagues within the Merrimack community. The vision for our College set forth by President Hopey and Fr. Bryan is something I am incredibly proud to be a part of. I am deeply grateful for their trust in me and the opportunity to lead in this important role. Together, we've achieved great accomplishments and I'm excited for what's ahead. I also want to express my gratitude to Richard Gallant for his unwavering leadership, support and encouragement of both me and my team. "
Morrone, who just wrapped up her fifth season as head coach, has led the Warriors to three consecutive conference tournament semifinal appearances in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (2025) and the Northeast Conference (2023, 2024). Since taking over in July 2020, Morrone has steered Merrimack to 55 wins, including 39 conference victories.
This past season, the Warriors surpassed expectations, finishing sixth in the MAAC conference and earning a first-round bye in the conference tournament after being voted second to last in the MAAC preseason poll. Merrimack as a team finished the season second in the conference in rebounds per game (36.1) and opponent 3-point field goal percentage per game (.28 percent).
Among Merrimack's 2024-25 regular season highlights was a historic 81-36 victory over the Iona Gaels, marking the Warriors' largest margin of victory against a Division I team in the program's history.
Before joining the MAAC in 2024, Morrone's teams were regularly among the top in the Northeast Conference. In the 2022-23 season, she piloted a masterful eight-game winning streak that pushed the Warriors into postseason play as a four-seed and an eventual NEC semifinals appearance. The win streak was the longest in more than a decade at Merrimack and the first of its kind in the Division I era for the program. Morrone has also coached and developed numerous All-Conference players during her time in North Andover.
Merrimack hired Morrone ahead of the 2020-21 season after a successful head coaching stint at John Carroll University in Ohio. While the head coach of John Carroll, she led the Lobos to more than 100 wins in seven seasons, which included four 20-win seasons.
ABOUT MERRIMACK COLLEGE
One of only two Catholic Augustinian colleges in the United States, Merrimack College is a rising institution with a decade-long trajectory of growth and innovation. Merrimack is a selective, research-oriented, master's comprehensive institution with approximately 5,700 undergraduate and graduate students from 43 states and 42 countries, comprising schools of arts and sciences, engineering and computational sciences, nursing and health sciences, education and social policy, and business. The college's 220-acre campus is just north of Boston in North Andover, Mass.
