Janelle Breneman
Janelle Breneman
Title: Head Coach
Phone: 334-5057
Email: jbreneman@uncg.edu

Janelle Breneman, who has spent the past eight years in the SEC and ACC, was named the ninth head softball coach in UNCG softball history July 18, 2012. Breneman brings 17 years of collegiate coaching experience to UNCG, including nine years as a head coach at both Bucknell and East Stroudsburg.

Breneman spent the past two seasons as the top assistant coach in the prestigious SEC at South Carolina under head coach Beverly Smith. She was the infield coach and played a pivotal role in the team’s defense, while assisting the team’s offense. Under her direction, South Carolina saw its fielding percentage improve over 26 points her first year in Columbia, while leading the SEC in double plays.  Offensively, the Gamecocks improved in every statistical category during her tenure, including raising the team batting average 51 points in her first year.
 
Prior to South Carolina, Breneman spent six seasons as an assistant coach at North Carolina for head coach Donna Papa. She helped the Tar Heels post five 40-plus win seasons and advance to the NCAA Tournament every season. She was an integral part of the program that was ranked in the Top 25 in four of her six seasons in Chapel Hill.
 
Under her guidance, the North Carolina defense led the Atlantic Coast Conference in fielding each year and finished in the top 33 in NCAA Division I all six seasons. Offensively, the Tar Heels ranked in the top 100 in NCAA Division I in home runs per at-bat her final three seasons and she helped Danielle Spaulding become a three-time All-America recipient. During her tenure, eight different student-athletes received 14 All-ACC selections.
 
Breneman came to UNC after two head coaching stints over a nine-year period at Bucknell (2001-04) and East Stroudsburg (1996-2000). During her run at Bucknell, the Bison made the Patriot League Tournament in 2004, when she was selected as the Patriot League Coach of the Year. She served five seasons as the head coach at Division II East Stroudsburg and helped the Warriors post their first winning season in four years with a 21-18 record in her rookie campaign.
 
Breneman was also a standout on the field, playing two years in the Women’s Pro Softball League for the Georgia Pride and was a four-year letterwinner at Bloomsburg University. She was the starting shortstop during her career and earned All-America honors as a senior. A three-time All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference selection, she still holds the Huskies’ career record with 351 assists. She helped Bloomsburg to the NCAA Division II Championships all four years, finishing second in the nation in 1991 and third in both 1990 and 1992.
 
Breneman earned a bachelor’s degree in adult health and cardiac rehabilitation from Bloomsburg in 1993. She was inducted into the Bloomsburg Athletics Hall of Fame in 2006 and the Ephrata High School Hall of Fame in 2001.
 
- UNCG -
Sarah Kerr (Dawson)
Sarah Kerr (Dawson)
Title: Assistant Coach
Phone: 334-5057
Email: sarah.kerr@uncg.edu

Kerr spent the past 10 seasons as the head coach of the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters in the highly competitive Western Athletic Conference. Last season, she led LA Tech to its seventh-straight WAC Tournament appearance becoming the third school to qualify for every tournament since 1996 joining Hawaii and Fresno State.   In her 10 years at LA Tech she amassed a record of 240-338.

“I am delighted to welcome Sarah to UNCG coaching staff,” said Breneman.  “Sarah's extensive experience and pitching knowledge will be a great asset to our team.  I have high expectations for this Spartan softball program and I believe Sarah's knowledge of the game and her past success will assist us in reaching our goals.”

During Kerr’s decade at Tech, her teams shattered numerous team and individual offensive records as she rebuilt a program that participated in numerous college world series and NCAA Tournaments during the 1980s and early '90s. Nine of the program’s top 10 all-time team home run marks have come under Kerr, including a program record 59 in 2009.

“I would like to thank Kim Record, Jody Smith and Janelle Breneman for the opportunity to coach at UNC Greensboro,” said Kerr.  “It is obvious how much pride the administration takes in each of their programs.  The support and the facilities we have to work with make UNCG a standout in the SoCon.  I am excited about this new staff and believe in the student athletes in our program.  I know we will be a contender for a top spot in conference.”

Twenty-eight of her players have earned all-Western Athletic Conference honors, including at least one every year and a program-record five in 2009. Former shortstop Amberly Waits became the first LA Tech player to ever earn the WAC Player of the Year award as she was an easy selection in 2009 after winning the WAC Triple Crown (led league in average, home runs and RBI).

Kerr has also had 36 of her players named to the Louisiana Sports Writers Association all-state team, including Waits who was named the 2009 Hitter of the Year, outfielder Emma Barnes was named the state Freshman of the Year in 2006 and utility Melanie Goff was named the Newcomer of the Year in 2012.

Kerr also emphasizes education, and it has paid off during her tenure at Louisiana Tech. During the previous 10 years at Tech, a total of 43 of LA Tech's student-athletes have earned a total of 90 Academic All-Western Athletic Conference honors, ranking among the most in the league during that time.

Prior to coming to Louisiana Tech in 2003, Kerr served as an assistant coach at UL-Monroe from 2000 through 2002 and at Marshall University in 1999.

Kerr was also a standout in the circle, compiling a record of 120-56 while registering 151 complete games, 1,242.1 innings pitched, 1,280 strikeouts and 74 career shutouts. Her complete games, innings pitched, strikeouts and career shutouts all ranked in the top 10 in NCAA Division I history while her 120 career wins ranked sixth. She still holds the school record for career victories, lowest earned run average (0.69), inning pitched, strikeouts, shutouts, games pitched, games started and complete games.

“I am glad to have an established and experienced pitching coach for our Spartan pitchers, I look forward to seeing them further develop under Dawson's supervision.”

Kerr continued to be successful after her collegiate career, joining the Women's Professional Fast-pitch League in the summer of 1997, where she earned the first year league's inaugural Most Valuable Player award, ranking No. 1 in wins (30) and saves (4) and second in shutouts, complete games, earned run average and opponent's batting average.

Kerr earned her bachelor's degree in finance from UL-Monroe in 1998.

Brittany McKinney
Brittany McKinney
Title: Assistant Coach
Phone: 334-5057
Email: bmckinney@uncg.edu

McKinney comes to UNCG following a one-year stint with NC State as an assistant.

“I am thrilled to add a familiar face to our coaching staff in Brittany McKinney,” said Breneman. “Having the opportunity to coach Brittany for three years I witnessed her ability to lead and her competitive passion for the game of softball. McKinney's experience as a catcher and playing at the professional level will be a great addition to the team.  It will be a pleasure to have her here with me to further develop our program.”

In between coaching, McKinney is currently playing her second season for the Carolina Diamonds of the National Pro Fastpitch softball league. In 2011, McKinney posted solid numbers, leading the squad in batting average (.298) and RBI (11) as a rookie. In addition, she was one of two members of the team to be named to the NPF all-star squad.

"I am very excited and grateful for the opportunity to work with Coach Breneman and become a part of the Spartan family,” said McKinney.  “I am eager to begin this season and help propel UNCG to the top of the Southern Conference.”

Prior to her professional career, McKinney notched a successful college career at North Carolina, starting all four years at catcher and in the DH slot for the Tar Heels. As a sophomore in 2009, she earned second team All-ACC honors after earning a .305 batting average and throwing out 19 of 27 base stealers from behind the plate.

McKinney excelled in the classroom as well, earning a degree in communications and a minor in coaching in the spring of 2011. She was named to the All-ACC Softball Academic Team three times, and earned Dean's List recognition four semesters throughout her career. As a senior, McKinney received the prestigious UNC Athletic Director's scholar athlete award.