Aug. 6, 2010

DeKALB - Former Illinois and Ball State standout forward Danielle Gratton has been named the Northern Illinois Director of Women's Basketball Operations, head coach Kathi Bennett announced Friday.

"My staff and I work hard, but Danielle can put us all to shame with her work ethic," Bennett said. "As a player she was known for her work ethic, and she has brought that into the professional world. She is eager to learn, passionate about coaching, and so hungry."

A native of Bethel Park, Pa., Gratton served as the basketball operations intern for the WNBA's Atlanta Dream prior to arriving in DeKalb. For the Dream, she held budget and equipment responsibilities. Grant also assisted in film and statistical analysis of practices and games, and served in various other roles.

Gratton holds experience in both the state of Illinois and Mid-American Conference. As a player, she spent her first three seasons at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign before transferring to finish her career at Ball State. A third-team All-MAC selection as a senior, Gratton collected a multitude of academic honors during her playing career. Her scholarly awards included ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District, Academic All-Big Ten and Academic All-MAC.

Bennett also announced the promotion of assistant coach Marsha Frese to associate head coach.

Renowned as one of the nation's best recruiters, Frese holds a decade of coaching experience at programs like Minnesota, Maryland and Illinois. She is also familiar with the MAC, with two stints as an assistant at Ball State. Widely known for her offensive wizardry, Frese is an excellent compliment to the defensive-minded Bennett.

"Marsha is gifted and talented, and we are fortunate to have someone of her caliber," Bennett said. "This move was common sense in my opinion. I feel honored to have her at my side, and I trust her with everything."

Bennett took over as the ninth head coach in program history, May 18. She has taken teams to eight NCAA Tournament appearances and five conference championships, including one Big Ten title at Indiana.