School graduate Brittini Merchant has been added to the softball coaching staff at Davenport University, according to head coach McCall Salmon.Merchant was a volunteer assistant at Northwestern during the 2015 season and saw the team receive an at-large bid into the NCAA Division I Tournament.A two-time, All-Mid-America Conference selection at Central Michigan from 2008-11, Merchant started all 186 games the Chippewas played during her tenure. As a senior, Merchant hit .325 with a team-best 12 doubles while starting every game at second base. She ranked 15th in the nation that year by striking out just once for every 23.3 at-bats.
Immediately upon graduation, Brittini became a volunteer assistant coach at Minnesota for the 2012 season, where her older sister, Jessica Merchant, was an assistant. The Golden Gophers went 31-22 with both Merchants on staff.
After leaving Minnesota, Merchant became an instructor at Elite Baseball and Softball in Grand Rapids, Mich., before leaving coaching to take a supervisor’s position with General Motors in Toledo, Ohio. The move caused Merchant to realize her passion lived in coaching softball, leading her to return to the game in Evanston.
Merchant is one of three sisters, all of whom played collegiate softball and earned honors for Wayland. Jessica was an All-American at Michigan and Macy was all-MAC for Central Michigan.
“Brittini’s softball knowledge and experience make her an excellent addition to our coaching staff.,” Salmon said. “She has a great passion for the game and will bring lots of energy to the program. ”
