Means to Join Mercer Coaching Staff

MACON, Ga. – Mercer Women's Basketball Head Coach Susie Gardner announced the hiring of former Mercer standout, Sydni Means, as her program's new Assistant Coach on Thursday afternoon.

Means played point guard for four seasons (2014-18) under the guidance of Gardner, turning into one of the more recognizable and decorated players in Bears history.

"I never thought about Sydni being a coach until about a month after our season ended," Gardner said. "All she and I talked about was her going to play professionally overseas.

"Then, one day, she casually mentioned that she might want to coach. I had already made a list of intangibles that I was looking for in a coaching staff. Even though Sydni has no experience as a coach, she actually fills so many of the needs on my list. After four years of being a point guard in our program, I am sure she would agree as do I that she was our coach on the floor."

Means turned in a dominate career for Mercer, ranking second in career assists (686) and career steals (246), sitting only behind Stephany Raines. The former guard tallied 264 assists during her senior campaign, ranking as the second most in a single season in program history. Means' .779 percentage from the charity stripe was good enough to place the Georgia native fifth in Mercer history.

"I'm blessed to be given this opportunity," Means said. "Coach Gardner sees that I can help impact the program in a positive way, and I'm ready to do what it takes to be not only the best coach, but the best person that I can be."

Means proved to be a coach on the floor during her playing days, leading the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (4.80) as a senior. Means ended her career averaging 8.0 points, 5.8 assists, 3.4 boards, 2.1 steals and 1.6 turnovers per game.

With the arrival of incoming guards Amoria Neal-Tysor and Tia Benvenuti, Means will play a pivotal role in mentoring and coaching the freshman duo.

"We will have two freshmen point guards next year," Gardner added. "Who better to mentor them, than Sydni Means? This is a perfect fit for Sydni and myself. I trust her and she knows how I think, so she will bring invaluable experience to this role.

"With her being a former player, I also believe Sydni will be a great point of contact for Mercer alumni as we continue to develop strong relationships with our boosters and fans heading into the upcoming season."

The floor general guided Mercer to 99 wins in four seasons, three Southern Conference Regular Season Titles, one SoCon Tournament title and four postseason berths. Means capped off her stellar playing career by guiding Mercer to the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament where the Bears squared off with Georgia in the first round in Athens, Ga.

Means completed her degree in Communications with a minor in Media Studies in December of 2017. This will be the first coaching experience for the Georgia native.

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Players Mentioned

Sydni Means

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