First-year Wisconsin women’s basketball coach Marisa Moseley has completed her staff, the coach announced on Thursday.

Moseley has announced the appointment of Mitch Simmons as her director of operations, A.J. Whitehead as the team’s strength and conditioning coach, and Erin McQuillan as staff athletic trainer. In addition to the new hires, Moseley also announced that Erica Yost will stay on as the Badgers’ video coordinator and director of scouting and Emili Leyden will remain as the program assistant. In addition, former Badger student-athlete Estella Moschkau will join the staff as a student assistant.

“I am ecstatic to be able to announce the completion of my staff with Mitch Simmons, A.J. Whitehead, Erin McQuillan joining Erica Yost, Emili Leyden and Estella Moschkau,” Moseley said. “Typically considered ‘support staff,’ these individuals are rock stars and are integral to the success of our program in the present and the future. Each brings a unique skillset and perspective, and I am confident that with their addition to our overall staff we are headed in the right direction.”

Simmons joins the Badgers as the director of operations after serving in the same position under Moseley at Boston University for the last three seasons. Simmons will handle the day-to-day operations of the UW team, organizing all of the logistics, including travel for the team. Simmons served as the head manager for the University of Connecticut women’s basketball team from 2016-18. He is a 2018 graduate of UConn with degrees in allied health sciences and sport management. He earned his master’s degree in educational leadership and policy studies with a concentration in higher education administration from Boston University in 2021.

“I am incredibly excited and honored to be joining Coach Moseley and the rest of the staff at Wisconsin. Coach Moseley is a dynamic leader and I am ready to help execute her vision of what Badger women’s basketball can become while aiding in her commitment to the student-athlete experience. Looking forward to getting to work and becoming a member of the athletic department and Madison community!”

Whitehead comes to Wisconsin after serving as an associate director of strength and conditioning at Purdue for the last three years, working with the softball and men’s and women’s tennis teams. She oversaw the daily operations at Mollenkopf Athletic Center while assisting with budgets and various administrative projects.

“I am thrilled to join the Wisconsin women’s basketball staff and have the opportunity to build a special program with Coach Moseley,” Whitehead said. “My passion is to empower young women in the weight room and beyond. Wisconsin has a championship culture and I look forward to becoming a Badger!”

Prior to Purdue, Whitehead served as the head sports performance coach at UMass Lowell for four years. She also served as the head strength and conditioning coach with the Turkish Basketball Federations as well as professional clubs for two years in Turkey. She earned her bachelor’s degree in sports studies from Bethel College in 2001 and attained her master’s degree in exercise science and health promotion from California University of Pennsylvania in 2017.

McQuillan has served as a staff athletic trainer at Wisconsin since 2019, working with the men’s and women’s tennis programs.  A native of Neenah, Wisconsin, McQuillan is a 2016 graduate of Wisconsin with a degree in athletic training. She earned her master’s degree in human physiology from Boston University in 2018 while serving as a graduate assistant athletic trainer. McQuillan completed an athletic training residency in neurotrama and spine from BU in 2019 while serving as a resident athletic trainer. She is a member of the National Athletic Trainers Association.

“I’m very excited to start working with Coach Moseley and her staff,” said McQuillan. “We have a great opportunity to get better every day and rebuild the program. I’m looking forward to doing my part in keeping the student-athletes healthy and ready to compete.”

Yost, Leyden remain on staff

Yost has served as the Badgers’ video coordinator and director of scouting since the fall of 2019. She is in charge of recording, editing and processing video footage to help the UW coaches develop their strategy against opponents. Yost also spent three years in the same position at Bradley University. She is a 2011 graduate of Goshen University with degrees in youth ministry and physical education where she also played basketball.

Leyden is an integral in program operations and has been the Badgers’ program assistant since 2018 after a three-year stint as a student manager with the team. A native of Nashotah, Wisconsin, she is a 2018 graduate of Wisconsin with degrees in history and legal studies.

Moschkau named student assistant

Moschkau transitions to student assistant after playing with the Badgers in 2020-21 and spending her first three seasons at Stanford.  The 6-foot-2 guard and native of Madison, Wisconsin played and started all 24 games in her senior season. Moschkau earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from Stanford in 2020 and is currently a graduate student at UW working towards her degree in educational leadership and policy analysis with a concentration in intercollegiate athletic administration.