University of Memphis Athletics
Tigers Women's Basketball Announces Hiring Of Lee Yerty
May 19, 2016 | Women's Basketball
Yerty previously worked in Memphis athletics from 1996-2007.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – University of Memphis women's basketball Melissa McFerrin went to the past again and welcomed back a former Tiger to the family Thursday when she announced the hiring of Lee Yerty as the program's director of operations.
Two weeks ago, McFerrin reached back to her recent past and hired Danielle O'Banion as an associate head coach. O'Banion had previously served on McFerrin's staff from 2008-12. Yerty previously worked in the Memphis athletics department, primarily as a strength and conditioning coach, from 1996-2007.
"Lee has dedicated his entire career to the development of young people," said McFerrin, who enters her ninth season in 2016-17. "He has a genuine, long-standing fondness for the University of Memphis. I'm excited about his ability to enhance 'team-first' chemistry, to act as a mentor for our players and his proven operational expertise."
Yerty's last collegiate stint was as the director of operations for the University of Wyoming volleyball program from 2008-12. Yerty, who worked on his wife's (Carrie) staff in Laramie, Wyo., helped turn around the fortunes of the Cowgirls program.
After sub .500 seasons the first two years in 2008 and 2009, Yerty was a member of the staff that saw the Cowgirls put together three-straight 20-win campaigns from 2010-12. Wyoming posted records of 22-10 in 2010 and 21-11 in both 2011 and 2012, marking the first time in program history the Cowgirls had three-consecutive 20-win seasons.
The 2011 Cowgirls squad went 9-5 in Mountain West Conference play and finished fourth in the league's standings. At that time, the nine conference wins and fourth-place finish both were the program's best since the league formed in 1999.
I'm very excited to join the Tigers women's basketball staff," Yerty said. "Coach McFerrin has done an outstanding job of creating and building a family-based program that promotes an atmosphere structured for success. Under her leadership, there are no limits to the accomplishments this program can achieve. I appreciate the opportunity and look forward to being a part of the Tigers family again."
Yerty's first stint in the Bluff City was from 1996-2007, and he served as an assistant strength and conditioning coach for nine seasons and as the director of strength and conditioning for Olympic sports his final two years. As the director of strength and conditioning, Yerty oversaw eight Olympic sports programs, including men's and women's tennis, women's basketball, volleyball, men's and women's golf, cross country and women's soccer.
During that time, Yerty also was an assistant for women's athletics in charge of game management for the Tigers volleyball and women's basketball programs.
Prior to Memphis, Yerty worked at Eastern Washington University in the early-to-mid 1990s. He began his career in the Eagles athletics department as a marketing director for two years, before being elevated to an assistant athletics director position. In his assistant athletics director role, Yerty was in charge of marketing, fundraising and event management, along with daily administrative planning and other functions. In 1995, Yerty served an assistant volleyball coach for the Eagles.
From 1985-90, Yerty was both a graduate assistant and assistant strength and conditioning coach at Washington State University in Pullman, Wash. He was the assistant for football, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's golf, volleyball, men's and women's track and men's and women's tennis, along with assisting all other sports.
Yerty earned both his bachelor's degree in exercise science in 1986 and master's degree in education administration in 1988 from Washington State. While as undergraduate, Yerty played football for the Cougars from 1983-85.
A Naches, Wash., native, Yerty was a Washington high school all-state first team athlete in football and track and field (pole vault). The Yertys have three sons: WesLee, Jace and Cade.
Two weeks ago, McFerrin reached back to her recent past and hired Danielle O'Banion as an associate head coach. O'Banion had previously served on McFerrin's staff from 2008-12. Yerty previously worked in the Memphis athletics department, primarily as a strength and conditioning coach, from 1996-2007.
"Lee has dedicated his entire career to the development of young people," said McFerrin, who enters her ninth season in 2016-17. "He has a genuine, long-standing fondness for the University of Memphis. I'm excited about his ability to enhance 'team-first' chemistry, to act as a mentor for our players and his proven operational expertise."
Yerty's last collegiate stint was as the director of operations for the University of Wyoming volleyball program from 2008-12. Yerty, who worked on his wife's (Carrie) staff in Laramie, Wyo., helped turn around the fortunes of the Cowgirls program.
After sub .500 seasons the first two years in 2008 and 2009, Yerty was a member of the staff that saw the Cowgirls put together three-straight 20-win campaigns from 2010-12. Wyoming posted records of 22-10 in 2010 and 21-11 in both 2011 and 2012, marking the first time in program history the Cowgirls had three-consecutive 20-win seasons.
The 2011 Cowgirls squad went 9-5 in Mountain West Conference play and finished fourth in the league's standings. At that time, the nine conference wins and fourth-place finish both were the program's best since the league formed in 1999.
I'm very excited to join the Tigers women's basketball staff," Yerty said. "Coach McFerrin has done an outstanding job of creating and building a family-based program that promotes an atmosphere structured for success. Under her leadership, there are no limits to the accomplishments this program can achieve. I appreciate the opportunity and look forward to being a part of the Tigers family again."
Yerty's first stint in the Bluff City was from 1996-2007, and he served as an assistant strength and conditioning coach for nine seasons and as the director of strength and conditioning for Olympic sports his final two years. As the director of strength and conditioning, Yerty oversaw eight Olympic sports programs, including men's and women's tennis, women's basketball, volleyball, men's and women's golf, cross country and women's soccer.
During that time, Yerty also was an assistant for women's athletics in charge of game management for the Tigers volleyball and women's basketball programs.
Prior to Memphis, Yerty worked at Eastern Washington University in the early-to-mid 1990s. He began his career in the Eagles athletics department as a marketing director for two years, before being elevated to an assistant athletics director position. In his assistant athletics director role, Yerty was in charge of marketing, fundraising and event management, along with daily administrative planning and other functions. In 1995, Yerty served an assistant volleyball coach for the Eagles.
From 1985-90, Yerty was both a graduate assistant and assistant strength and conditioning coach at Washington State University in Pullman, Wash. He was the assistant for football, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's golf, volleyball, men's and women's track and men's and women's tennis, along with assisting all other sports.
Yerty earned both his bachelor's degree in exercise science in 1986 and master's degree in education administration in 1988 from Washington State. While as undergraduate, Yerty played football for the Cougars from 1983-85.
A Naches, Wash., native, Yerty was a Washington high school all-state first team athlete in football and track and field (pole vault). The Yertys have three sons: WesLee, Jace and Cade.
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