Rhet Wierzba joined the Maryland women's basketball staff in May of 2007 as the director of basketball operations. After a successful first two seasons with the Terps, which saw the team reach two NCAA Elite Eights and win an ACC Championship in 2009, Wierzba returns for his third season on the staff.
His primary responsibilities include handling the day-to-day operations of the team, while also coordinating team travel, scheduling practice time and monitoring the players' academic progress as the liaison to the Academic Support and Career Development office.
"Rhet is extremely hard working, organized, prepared and a great problem solver," said Frese. "We are very fortunate to have him on the staff.He oversees all administrative issues in the office.He also coordinates all team travel and summer camps."
A native of Farmington, Ill., Wierzba spent two seasons at Evansville serving in the same capacity for the Purple Aces' men's squad. After two seasons, he was named interim assistant coach in the spring of 2007, before packing his bags to come to College Park. Among his responsibilities at UE was handling team travel, monitoring players' academic performance and was the camp director of the team's summer camps.
Wierzba is a 2004 graduate of Austin Peay, where he helped the Governors win back-to-back Ohio Valley Conference titles, while making an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2003 and a NIT showing the following season. A team captain for two years, he was named an OVC Scholar Athlete his senior year, also winning the department's Joy Award, presented to the most outstanding senior student-athlete. He was also twice selected APSU's Male Scholar-Athlete.
After graduating summa cum laude with a degree in business management and earning honorable mention academic All-American honors three times, Wierzba went on to play professionally in Mexico and Canada.
Wierzba returned to Austin Peay after his professional stint, joining the coaching staff as a graduate assistant coach in 2004. In that position, he assisted with on-court player development, recruiting and planned team travel, while also earning a master's degree in science in health and human performance, with a concentration in sports administration. He completed his degree in 2005.
Wierzba was a member of numerous honor societies and was the school's Vice President and President of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) in 2003 and 2004. He received the conference's Medal of Honor in 2001 and 2004 for achieving the top grade point average and earned the Dr. Leon Bibb Postgraduate Scholarship.
Wierzba played high school basketball at Farmington High where he was a valedictorian, a National Merit semifinalist and an Illinois State Scholar. He has an older brother, Ben, who is currently an assistant coach with the Evansville men's basketball team.
Wierzba resides in Laurel, Md.
Wierzba's Credentials
• Director of Basketball Operations, Maryland (May 2007-present)
• Director of Basketball Operations, Evansville (September 2005-May 2007)
• Graduate Assistant, Austin Peay (June 2004-July 2005)
The Personal Side of Rhet Wierzba
Educational Background:
• Bachelor of Arts in Business Management (Austin Peay State University, 2004)
• Master's Degree in Sports Administration (Austin Peay State University, 2005)
Athletic Background:
• Four seasons as a varsity basketball player at Austin Peay State University
• Played professionally in Canada and Mexico
High School:
• Farmington (Farmington, Ill.)
• Four varsity letters in basketball and two in track and baseball
Family:
• Son of Thomas and Cynthia Wierzba
• One brother: Ben (31)
