July 7, 2006

The newest member of the Florida State women's basketball staff is Melissa Bruner who assumed the position of Director of Basketball Operations in June. Bruner came to Florida State after serving four seasons as Assistant Athletics Director and Head Women's Basketball Coach at Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

As the Director of Basketball Operations, Bruner has a wide range of responsibilities in all facets of the program. She coordinates all areas of team travel and is also in charge of facility usage and game management of all practices and games. She assists Head Coach Sue Semrau with scheduling and serves as the program's liaison with the athletics department's administration. Bruner oversees the equipment operations for the program and will coordinate the Seminole girls' summer camps.

Bruner and Semrau previously worked together for two seasons at the University of Wisconsin-Madison while Semrau was an assistant coach. Bruner was Director of Women's Basketball Operations for the Badgers for seven years where she assisted in public relations, team travel and practice arrangements.

Prior to her duties at Wisconsin, Bruner earned a master's degree in physical education, with a concentration in athletic administration, from Ohio University in June 1995. She received her business administration and accounting degree with a minor in physical education from Coe in 1994.

As a Kohawk, Bruner earned Academic All-Midwest Conference honors in softball, basketball, tennis and volleyball. In recognition for her athletic and academic achievements, she was named a national GTE Academic All-American her senior year.