Meet the Staff
Coach Kresge
UVM Head Coach & Camp Director
Alisa Kresge was named the ninth head coach in Vermont Women’s Basketball history on April 9, 2019 after successfully leading the program as interim head coach during the 2018-19 campaign. She led the Catamounts to 11 wins and a fifth-place finish in America East their best since 2009-10. The 11 wins were also the most by a Catamount coach in their debut season since 2003-04.
2022-23 was Kresge’s seventh year with the Catamounts, and her fourth year as head coach. She served as the associate head coach from 2016-2018. In her four full seasons at the helm and her interim season, Kresge has led Vermont to a 72-56 mark (42-28 AE).
In the 2022-23 season Kresge continued her success leading the Catamounts back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2009-10 season. Under her guidance Vermont earned their most ever home victories at Patrick Gym (15) and earned their most America East victories (12) since the 2009-10 season. Vermont finished tied for first in America East earning a share of the regular season title for the first time since 2001-02. Under Mayer Head Women’s Basketball Coach Alisa Kresge, the Catamounts also claimed the America East Championship for the first time since the 2009-10 season and fourth time since the 1999-00 season.
During the 2022-23 season the Catamounts went on a 17-game win streak which reached as high as third in the country behind only No. 1 South Carolina and South Dakota State. The 17-game win streak was the longest for the Catamounts since the 1992-93 season. The 17-game win streak is the longest in Kresge’s career and was the longest winning streak in America East in 2022-23. Vermont’s 25 victories in Kresge’s fourth full season at the helm is tied for the fifth most in program history and the most since the 2009-10 season.
The 2022-23 season saw Kresge coach three separate All-Conference honorees. Anna Olson and Emma Utterback earned America East All-Conference First Team honors, while Delaney Richason was named to the All-Conference Third Team. Olson was also named to the America East All-Academic Team for the first time in her career.
Mayer Head Women’s Basketball Coach Alisa Kresge was named the America East Coach of the Year, while also garnering Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Coach of the Year in the 2022-23 season.
The 2022-23 campaign saw the Catamounts return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2009-10 season. Coach Kresge led Vermont to a first round birth where they lost on the road against No. 2 UConn.
The Catamounts finished the 2022-23 campaign among the nation’s best in several key statistical categories including finishing 10th in points per game allowed (54.1), 76th in scoring margin (+7.2), tied for 32nd in winning percentage with .781, 19th in three point percentage (36.5), 90th in field goal percentage (42.7), 17th in fouls per game (13.6), 48th in field goal percentage allowed (37.4) and 28th in three point percentage allowed (27.6).
Even in the 2020 COVID shortened season Kresge steered the Catamounts to a winning record, going 4-2, earning four America East victories.
In the 2021-22 season she led the Catamounts to one of the most successful seasons in over a decade, finishing 20-11 (13-5 AE). Vermont finished fourth in the America East and advanced to the semi-finals before losing to eventual America East Champion UAlbany. UVM had several America-East All-Conference honors, including Rookie of the Year Catherine Gilwee and a trio of All-Conference team members Emma Utterback (1st Team), Anna Olson (2nd Team), and Josie Larkins (3rd Team). Utterback also earned All-Tournament team honors in 2022. Kresge also coached 2019 Scholar-Athlete of the Year Hanna Crymble.
A 2007 graduate of Marist College, located in Poughkeepsie, New York, Kresge returned to her alma mater in 2009 as an assistant coach. She served in this role from 2009-2016. During that time, she recruited and coached 21 MAAC All-Conference selections, including two MAAC All-Rookie Team selections. She also coached 31 All-Academic honorees. The squad amassed a 173-42 record, made five straight NCAA Tournament appearances (2010-14), and captured five consecutive MAAC Tournament Championships (2010-14). Lead the team to the 2015 WNIT where they lost to eventual semifinalist Temple.
During her time at Marist Kresge coached five different MAAC Tournament MVPs, four different MAAC Players of the year, two MAAC Defensive Players of the Year, one MAAC Sixth Player of the Year and two MAAC Student-Athletes of the year.
Kresge played point guard for the Red Foxes from 2003-07, standing as the program’s all-time leader in assists (596) and ranking second in steals (222). As a senior, she helped Marist become the first men’s or women’s basketball program in MAAC history to advance to the NCAA Sweet 16. She is also the only player in MAAC women’s basketball history to be named Defensive Player of the Year three times in her career. Was also named Third Team All-MAAC as a junior and Second Team All-MAAC as a senior. She earned her degree from Marist in digital media.
Coach Dom
UVM Associate Head Coach & Recruiting Coordinator
Dominique Bryant joined the UVM women's basketball staff as an assistant coach in May of 2017. The 2022-2023 season will be Dominique Bryant's sixth season working with the Catamounts, and second in her role as Associate Head Coach. She first joined the Vermont staff as an Assistant Coach in May of 2017 and in the summer of 2021 was promoted to her role now, as the Associate Head Coach. Bryant works with the post players, as well as being an integral coach for the defensive side of the basketball.
"We are thrilled to promote Dominique to Associate Head Coach," said Mayer Women's Basketball Coach Alisa Kresge. "Dominique is heavily involved and responsible for developing our players and team. She has helped shape our program in all areas. Dominique is well on her way to becoming a head coach very soon and we're very lucky to have her."
Bryant spent the 2016-17 season in the same capacity at Manhattan College. Her arrival represents a reunion of sorts, as she previously was an assistant at Marist College for three seasons (2013-16) with current UVM head coach Alisa Kresge.
Under Bryant’s tutelage, Manhattan’s Kayla Grimme earned All-MAAC Third Team recognition this past season and finished the year atop the conference with an even two blocks per game. The Jaspers also were recognized by the NCAA with a Public Recognition Award, presented to teams that rank in the top 10 percent of their respective sport in Academic Progress Rate (APR).
During Bryant’s time at Marist, the Red Foxes clinched a pair of postseason berths, winning the MAAC Tournament to reach the NCAA Tournament in 2014 and followed that up with a trip to the WNIT in 2015. Bryant was responsible for post player development and played an integral role in recruiting, film breakdown and scouting reports. Over the course of her three years, she coached eight All-MAAC Team members, an All-Rookie Team honoree, a MAAC Player of the Year, MAAC Defensive Player of the Year, one MAAC Tournament MVP and 13 All-MAAC Academic Team picks. During her time as the assistant coach with the Red Foxes Bryant accumulated a record of 64-35.
At Vermont she has fostered the Catamounts into a force in the post and on the defensive side of the ball leading to multiple conference honorees. She coached 2020-21 America East Rookie of the Year Anna Olson, 2019-2020 Defensive Player of the year Hanna Crymble, multiple All-Conference team selections, including Anna Olson (2020-21 and 2021-22) and Hanna Crymble (20107-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20), as well as a pair of All-Academic selections.
Off the court, she coordinated community service initiatives centering around the team.
A two-time co-captain during her playing career at Saint Joseph’s, she led the Hawks to a pair of WNIT appearances (2010-11). In addition, SJU captured a share of the Big 5 Co-Championship in 2009 and won the Hawk Classic in both 2009 and 2010. In 2011, she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.
Coach Will
UVM Assistant Coach
Will Lanier joined the women's basketball coaching staff in July of 2022 after serving as the Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance at UVM since 2019.
In the 2022-23 season Lanier was an integral part of helping the Catamounts reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2009-10 season. Lanier served as an Assistant Coach in his first season in Catamount country helping boast one of the top offenses and defenses in the America East.
As a result of his presence, the Catamounts finished the 2022-23 season in the top 100 in the nation in multiple categories including finishing 10th in points per game allowed (54.1), 76th in scoring margin (+7.2), tied for 32nd in winning percentage with .781, 19th in three point percentage (36.5), 90th in field goal percentage (42.7), 17th in fouls per game (13.6), 48th in field goal percentage allowed (37.4) and 28th in three point percentage allowed (27.6).
In his first season with the Catamounts Lanier was crucial in the recruitment and development both academically and athletically of several young players in the program.
Lanier brings over 18 years of Division I experience to Catamount Country. Most recently he served as an assistant coach of the men’s basketball program at Niagara University. At Niagara he developed and implemented a 12-month recruiting model which included academic vision and goals as well as skill development plans. During his time in Niagara Falls, Lanier recruited and coached a 3-time MAAC all-league member, 7th all-time leading scorer and 2018 MAAC Player of the Year.
From 2008 to 2013 Lanier was on the staff at Marist College. He recruited and signed prospects that became the program’s all-time leading scorer and 2014 MAAC Rookie of the Year. He was responsible for maintaining high academic priority and achievement through organized study hall, checking classes and daily student-athlete requirements which led to an Academic All-American and seven All-MAAC academic team members.
Prior to his time at Marist, Lanier spent four seasons on the staff of St. John's University in the Big East Conference. He served the 2006-08 seasons full-time on staff after working as a graduate assistant from 2004-06. While at St. John's, he received his master's degree in school building leadership in the school of education.
As an undergraduate, Lanier attended Georgia Tech, where he received a B.S. in business management in 2004. In his time at Georgia Tech, Lanier served as head manager on head coach Paul Hewitt's staff. The Yellow Jackets reached the Final Four and finished as National Runner-up in 2004.
Coach Nev
UVM Assistant Coach
In her first season in Catamount Country Nevena Markovic played a fundamental roll in helping the Catamounts earn their first America East Regular Season Championship since 2001-02 and their first America East Championship since the 2009-10 season. That victory in the America East Championship led to the Catamounts first NCAA Tournament berth since 2009-10.
In her first season with the team Markovic played an important role in helping develop post players and many of the incoming international players of the 2022-23 season. Markovic was a key part of helping lead one of the best offensive and defensive teams in the America East Conference.
In her role, Markovic helped lead the Catamounts to a 17-game winning streak which was their longest since 2001-02 and was at one point the third longest in the country.
Nevena Markovic joins the Catamounts after a seven-year professional basketball career. She was a four-year student-athlete at IUPUI, where she graduated in 2015 with a Bachelor of Science in Sports Management and a minor in Business. Markovic earned captain’s honors for her women’s basketball team in the 2014-2015 season. During her career at IUPUI she was named Freshman of the Year in 2012, Summit League Second Team All-Conference in 2014, Academic Honor Roll in 2013 and 2014, and was selected an Honorable Mention to the All-Summit League in 2014-2015. Named the IUPUI Athlete of the Month in December 2013. Was also named to the Summit League Commissioner’s List of Academic Excellence on two occasions (2013 and 2014).
During her international career she was a part of Serbian U20 team and was named Co-MVP of the Spanish League in the first round of play. She played in several world-renowned leagues during her seven seasons including Spain, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic and France. Markovic also earned the Slovakian Cup and the Slovakian League Championship in 2018-19. She also participated in the EuroCup on four separate occasions and is a member of the Serbian Senior National Team Training Camp.
In addition to her playing experience Markovic has also served as an Assistant Coach at St. Francis (2017-2018), a skills coach for youth in Plainfield, Illinois (2018 and 2019) and a program coordinator and assistant coach with the Illinois Rockets U17 and U14 teams (2015-2018).
Coach Alec
UVM Director of Operations & Associate Camp Director
Kerdell joined the Vermont women's basketball coaching staff in July of 2023 after serving as the assistant coach at Daemen University in Amherst, New York since 2021.
During his time at Daemen Kerdell held many roles such as Assistant Recruiting Coordinator, Video Coordinator, and Director of Basketball Operations. He helped lead Daemen to a Division II Sweet 16 appearance during the 2021-2022 season, and back to back East Coast Conference Championships.
Prior to arriving to Daemen, Kerdell was a part of the Alabama women’s basketball program serving as a practice player from 2019-2021.
He graduated from the University of Alabama as an Exercise Science major in 2021 and has a Master’s in Leadership and Innovation from Daemen University.