ATLANTA – Mercer assistant women’s basketball coach Kaitlyn Cresencia was recognized as a WBCA Thirty Under 30 presented by Morgan Stanley Global Sports & Entertainment honoree, the organization announced Wednesday morning.
 
The WBCA Thirty Under 30 program was created to recognize 30 up-and-coming women’s basketball coaches age 30 and under at all levels of the game. Each honoree has exemplified their involvement in community service, mentorship and impact on others, professional manner, and attitude and professional association involvement.
 
“This is a great honor for Kaitlyn,” said head coach Susie Gardner. “She is a tireless worker. I hired her after she was a graduate assistant for me because I knew how hard she was going to work, her passion for the game and her attention to detail. I know her future is going to be bright as she continues her coaching career. I’m really proud of her for what she’s accomplished at such a young age.
 
“She’s our recruiting coordinator and works with our posts, but what stands out most about Kaitlyn is her passion for reaching these players off the floor is just as strong as it is on the court. She started the Big Picture, which was her brain child. She brought it to our program, and it helps our players develop themselves in other areas of their lives. Whether it’s helping them with their resumes or having conversations with them this summer about all of the social injustice and dealing with COVID. She really goes over-and-above to impact our players in ways that will have a lasting effect on them long after their playing days are over.”
 
Cresencia is in her third season with the Bears and serves as the team’s assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, working primarily with Mercer’s post players. Cresencia is committed to empowering the young women on her team and other coaches in the coaching profession. Most notably she implemented Mercer’s "Big Picture" life skills program, which is a full year curriculum dedicated to prepare the student athletes on her team for life outside of basketball. She previously co-created The Coaching Assist (2015-2018) to help grow the game of women's basketball and aide young coaches. The Coaching Assist was a crafted resource of interviews with women's basketball coaches and shared advice for aspiring and young coaches in the game of women's basketball. It can be found at www.thecoachingassist.wordpress.com.
 
In addition to these programs, Kaitlyn is dedicated to improving her understanding of her student athletes and the campus they are on. She has shown this by becoming a member of the Mercer M.A.D.E. (Mobilizing Athletics for Diversity and Equality) committee and Let's C.H.A.T (Change Happening, Athletes Talking) within the Mercer athletics department.

Cresencia’s positive, professional and growth minded attitude is an asset to each player she coaches and every staff member she interacts with. She takes her responsibility as a role model and teacher to her players very seriously and practices what she preaches. In addition, she is enjoyable to be around and cares for all those around her. She has a competitive drive to win but balances the bigger picture of mentoring and empowering others with that drive well.

A current member of the WBCA, she has attended the last 3 WBCA final four conventions where she has been either a presenter or facilitator. Prior to that, she was a participant in WBCA's "So You Want to Be a Coach" in 2015. She was also in WBCA mentoring groups the past two years. In addition to her WBCA involvement she engaged in Key5 Coaching and Return on Inclusion as her own professional development.
 
“The WBCA is pleased to recognize up-and-coming talent in our coaching family. The 30 coaches who have been named to receive the Thirty Under 30 Award are deserving of this recognition. The WBCA congratulates them for distinguishing themselves early in their careers,” said WBCA Executive Director Danielle Donehew. “These coaches have demonstrated eagerness, effectiveness, loyalty, love of the game, and a commitment to the student-athlete. We celebrate their effort on the basketball court as teachers and equally applaud the extensive role they play in impacting the lives of their student-athletes.”
 
2021 WBCA Thirty Under 30

Name	Title	Institution
Jaymee Acton	Assistant Coach	North Georgia
Jackie Alexander	Assistant Coach	Eastern Kentucky
Blanche Alverson	Assistant Coach	Georgia Tech
Nicole Ambrose	Assistant Coach	USC Upstate
Alexandra Bassetti	Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator	Manhattan
Camden Boehner	Assistant Coach	Tusculum
Kelly Bruce	Assistant Coach	Penn State Behrend
Kenia Cole	Assistant Coach	Hampton
Kaitlyn Cresencia	Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator	Mercer
Cheyenne Curley	Assistant Coach	Towson
Theo Dean	Head Coach	Truman State
Kayla DeCriscio	Assistant Coach	Niagara
Symone Denham	Assistant Coach	New Mexico
Evan Dodd	Assistant Coach	Indianapolis
Sean Ehlbeck	Assistant Coach	UT Arlington
Maggie Gallagher	Assistant Coach	Marist
Imani Gordon	Assistant Coach	Notre Dame Coll. (Ohio)
Hana Haden	Head Coach	Moberly Area CC
Victoria Jankoska	Assistant Coach	Missouri State
Dytanya Johnson	Assistant Coach	Charleston
Abby Jump	Assistant Coach	Wright State
Jenna Kotas	Assistant Coach	Illinois-Springfield
John Leonzo	Assistant Coach	Cedarville
Paige Love	Assistant Coach	UNC Asheville
Nikki Newman	Assistant Coach	Radford
Jazmin Pitts	Assistant Coach	Nevada
Addy Roller	Assistant Coach	Drury
Lindsey Spann	Interim Assistant Coach	Maryland
Ashley Williams	Assistant Coach	Indiana