The Exeter Athletics Department is excited to announce new leadership for the Big Red girls basketball program. Kerry McBrearty will serve as the newest Head Coach of the program while Lani Silversides will join as the Associate Head Coach. Both bring a wealth of coaching experience, leadership, and a passion for player development.

"Kerry is proven to be one of the best coaches of young athletes around," said Jason Baseden, director of physical education and athletics. "She has an innate ability to connect with our students, develop them as people and as athletes, and will bring a high level of basketball expertise to our program."

McBrearty joined the Exeter community in 2021 and currently serves as an instructor in the Physical Education Department, Girls Athletics Administrator, and has served as an assistant coach for the girls basketball program for the past three years. Additionally, she serves as a dorm head on campus and is an assistant coach with the girls lacrosse program.

"I am incredibly honored to take the helm of the Exeter girls basketball program and build upon the strong foundation that has been established," said McBrearty. "A heartfelt thank you to Katie Brule for her unwavering dedication and leadership in shaping this team into what it is today. I am also incredibly grateful to Jason Baseden and Principal Rawson for their confidence in my ability to lead this program. Their trust and support are not only critical to this process but also serve as a driving force in my commitment to this team. As we move into the future, I am eager to build on our successes, embrace new challenges, and elevate this program to even greater heights. I look forward to fostering a culture of excellence, resilience, and growth, empowering our athletes to thrive both on and off the court."

A graduate of Springfield College, McBrearty has extensive coaching experience, including head coaching roles in women's lacrosse at Bentley University, Roger Williams University, and Queens College. At Bentley, she led the team to multiple playoff berths and a record-setting season in 2016. Her experience across multiple sports and leadership roles will be invaluable in shaping the future of Exeter girls basketball.

Silversides, a former Division I standout at the University of Vermont, brings both playing and coaching expertise to her new role. She finished her collegiate career ranked among UVM's all-time leaders in ten statistical categories and was inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013. She spent 16 years teaching and coaching at Phillips Academy Andover before founding Mindful Performance LLC and the nonprofit Strong Girls United, which empowers young athletes through sports and mental health programming.

"Lani will influence our girls basketball program in many ways, both on and off the court," said Baseden. "She is a natural teacher of the game and her experience as a player, coach, and business professional is a perfect mix that will lead to foundational impact for students in our community."

Silversides holds an undergraduate degree in Education from UVM, a Master of Science in Teaching from the University of New Hampshire and has pursued graduate coursework at Boston University in Sport Psychology. Prior to college, she was an all-state soccer goalie, state champion hurdler, and became the all-time leading scorer (male or female) in basketball with over 1,400 points, 1,000 rebounds, and 299 blocks at York High School (ME).

"We could not be more excited to usher in a new chapter of basketball with Kerry and Lani at the helm of the program."