DETROIT (5-6-25) – Detroit Mercy women's basketball Assistant Coaches
Juanita Cochran and
Antonio Capaldi have been elevated to Recruiting Coordinator and Director of Player Development, respectively. Additionally,
Kevin Mondro '97 joins the staff as an Assistant Coach,
Kayla Bridges also joins the staff as an Assistant Coach/Director of Basketball Operations, while senior student-athlete
Latifa Amzil will serve as a Graduate Assistant Coach, announced Head Coach
Kiefer Haffey.
"Juanita and I have spent the last three years at Detroit Mercy together, and she has had as big of an impact on the resurgence of our program as anyone," said Haffey. "She is intertwined within the basketball community in Detroit, the Midwest, and is making her imprint nationally. She has been a driver of our success within recruiting, within our post play that has had all-conference caliber seasons, and within the culture and relationships of this program. Coach Juanita is one of the top assistant coaches in the country and is beyond deserving of this promotion. I'm thrilled to continue working with her and blessed to have her by my side."
"In the words of Coach Tone, 'champion those who champion you'. We go back to our days at Concordia, and to this day, I will say I've never had a member of my staff produce results within player development to the extent Coach Tone has," added Haffey. "Any player he works with gets better and has productive minutes. Needless to say, this promotion was easy, well-deserved, and puts Coach Tone in a role that suits his skill set as a coach. His belief in our players and program, along with his tireless work ethic and desire to be his best, are all the qualities that make him great and committed to making our program great."
Mondro is a 1997 graduate of Detroit Mercy, earning three basketball letters while playing for the Titans, and brings over 20 years of Division I experience, including seven postseason appearances.
Before returning to the Titans' women's program, Mondro served as the first-ever women's basketball head coach for two seasons at Cleary University in Howell, Mich. He secured Cleary's first win in program history on Dec. 9, 2023, when the Cougars defeated the UNOH Racers.
"Coach Dro was a top priority when I was granted the opportunity to take over this program," said Haffey. "Anyone who knows Coach Dro understands he's high-character as they come with an incredible basketball mind. He has vast experience and wisdom gathered from spending years as a coach at multiple Division I institutions, both as an assistant and head coach in the men's and women's games. What those outside of Detroit may not know is his deep ties and passion for our university. Coach Dro has played here as a student-athlete, coached here, and is a cherished member of this community from coaches, players, administrators, and alumni alike. He will play a pivotal role in connecting the pride and history of Calihan Hall to our current program and players."
After graduation, Mondro joined the UDM staff as a director of basketball operations for four years before being promoted to a full-time assistant position in 1998-99. He was on the staff for 11 years, the final five as the associate head coach. He was also the interim head coach for the second half of the 2007-08 season when Head Coach Perry Watson took a leave of absence.
During his coaching stint for the Titans, Mondro was part of the staff that posted four straight 20-plus win seasons, including qualifying for the NCAA Tournament in both 1997-98 and 1998-99 in addition to being selected for two National Invitation Tournament bids, in 2000-01 and 2001-02.
He worked primarily with the perimeter players, and his influence helped former NBA player Willie Green, and current head coach of the Charlotte Hornets, earn Horizon League Player of the Year accolades in 2003. In addition to his on-the-court coaching, Mondro played an active role in scouting and in scheduling, while also serving as the staff's recruiting coordinator and director of the Perry Watson Basketball Camp.
Before his time at Cleary, Mondro spent 11 seasons at Eastern Michigan, working with both the men's and women's basketball programs until 2022. He joined the EMU men's basketball staff in 2011 as an assistant coach and was promoted to associate head coach in 2017. In 2021, Mondro made the switch to women's basketball at EMU and was the assistant coach for two seasons.
Before Detroit Mercy, Bridges served as a Graduate Assistant Coach for the Wayne State women's basketball coaching staff in 2024-25 after joining as a Volunteer Assistant Coach in November of 2023 for Head Coach Carrie Lohr.
In her first season on Coach Lohr's staff, WSU compiled a 16-12 mark, had 10 GLIAC All-Academic honorees, and the squad was recognized by the WBCA (Women's Basketball Coaches Association) and given "Special Mention" for posting a team GPA of at least 3.0. In addition, Shea Tripp was a First Team All-GLIAC selection, while Gabi Lutchka was voted to the All-GLIAC Second Team.
Bridges also spent five years (2015-2019) as the Varsity Assistant Coach at Plymouth High School before returning to her alma mater as the Head Varsity Coach at Canton High School in 2020-21. During her five-year tenure, Bridges led the Chiefs from a 1-20 start to winning 19 games and a district championship for the first time in 10 years during the 2023-24 season.
"Coach Kayla has been someone I've kept on a watch list for a few years, and someone who has had interest from our program in the past," added Haffey. "She will serve as our director of basketball operations, while contributing to recruiting efforts and on-court performance. It's a heavy job that wears a multitude of hats, but that's nothing new to Kayla, who was serving as a varsity head coach, an AAU coach, and an NCAA Division II graduate assistant while working a full-time job all at the same time. Her demeanor, organizational experience, and local ties are going to serve as a huge benefit to our program."
Amzil played two seasons for the Titans, coming off the bench. She is a three-time Horizon League Fall and Spring Academic Honor Roll and Athletic Director's Honor Roll selection. She provided the second-quarter spark the Titans needed, scoring 16 points, shooting a perfect 6-for-6 from the field, 3-for-3 from 3-point range, and 1-for-1 from the free throw line. vs USC Upstate (11/24).
"Latifa has just completed her playing career with us, and I'm ecstatic she has chosen to stay as our graduate assistant coach, said Haffey. "She will be a huge benefit to our program with her on-court experience as a teacher of the game. Her organizational skill set will aid our program logistically, and she understands what it means to show up every day with a positive perspective and desire to get better. Latifa, as much as anyone in our program, has been one of the most consistent young people I've ever met. She will be a rock star for us, and we're very excited to have her take on this new role."
