University of California, Merced Executive Director for Recreation & Athletics David Dunham named Kellie Bernard the Bobcats new head women's basketball coach on September 9, 2022.
"We are excited to have Kellie join our staff to lead our women's basketball program," Dunham said. "I look forward to working with her to continue to build on our tradition of success within our women's basketball program."
Bernard led the Bobcats to a Cal Pac Regular Season and Tournament Championship in 2024-25 and she was named the Cal Pac Coach of the Year.
In her first year as a head coach, Bernard led the Bobcats to an 11-9 record in California Pacific Conference play and a berth to the Cal Pac Championships before ultimately falling to Westcliff University. Under her leadership, the Bobcats started 4-0 at home for the first time in program history and swept Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University for the first time since 2017-18.
Bernard continued to assist in the development of Cal Pac Defensive Player of the Year, Damilola Sule, who led the nation with a Cal Pac single-season record 15.8 rebounds per game. Over 22 games, Sule also averaged 16.3 points per game on a .568 field goal percentage. Bernard also coached Deyliana Lewis to All-Cal Pac First Team recognition and developed Paloma Ramirez into the Cal Pac Freshman of the Year.
Bernard was hired at UC Merced after spending 2021-22 as the lead assistant at Menlo College. While in Atherton, Bernard helped direct the Oaks to 16 wins and a berth to the NAIA Women's Basketball National Championship Opening Round a year ago. She also coached an All-American center in Kiara Brown and saw her Oaks squad take down a Top-10 nationally ranked opponent on the road.
Prior to her position at Menlo College, Bernard was on the coaching staff for two years at Ohio Christian University. In her two seasons with the Trailblazers, she split time between an assistant coach as well as taking the helm as the interim head coach for time. Over those two seasons, Ohio Christian amassed a record of 29-22, produced two NAIA All-Americans, and in 2020, won the school's first ever River States Conference Title.
Bernard also spent two years as an assistant coach at Ohio Wesleyan University, helping turn around their program and saw the team go from one win in 2017-18 to eleven wins the following season.
Prior to collegiate coaching, Bernard was the head coach of junior varsity and varsity girls basketball teams at Academia Los Pinares in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. In five seasons, Bernard led her squad to two second place finishes at the Honduran "Ten Best" Tournament and a second place finish at the Honduran National Championship.
The Swayzee, Ind., native was a two-sport athlete at Clarks Summit University in Pennsylvania, playing basketball and tennis. Bernard also played basketball in Honduras.
Bernard holds a bachelor's degree in Health and Physical Education from Clarks Summit University and a master's degree in Adapted Physical Education from Western Michigan University.Â
