PEORIA, Ill. ? Illinois Central graduate and Peoria, Ill., native Marne Fauser has returned home after ninth-year Bradley women's basketball head coach Paula Buscher announced Fauser will be taking over the role of Director of Women's Basketball Operations.

A Limestone High School alum, Fauser spent the last eight seasons as assistant coach at Truman State. She served as recruiting coordinator and camp director for the Bulldogs, in addition to arranging film exchange, travel plans and scouting reports. Her main duties at Bradley will include film exchange, team travel and camp coordinator.

"Marne is a great addition to our staff," Buscher said. "She is a positive, outgoing person who comes to us with a great deal of experience which will allow her to hit the ground running. I am excited to have her be a part of our program."

While at Truman State, she helped the Bulldogs to a pair of victories against nationally-ranked teams and coached three post players to first-team all-conference honors. Prior to starting her collegiate coaching career, Fauser was basketball and volleyball coach at nearby Oak Grove West Middle School in Bartonville, Ill., and also was a social studies teacher at Illini Bluffs High School.

Fauser was a two-time letterwinner at Illinois Central College and helped the Cougars to two regional championships and a fourth-place finish during the 1995-96 season.

She transferred to Truman State for the 1996-97 season and earned honorable mention all-conference recognition after averaging 7.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. Her senior year, Fauser averaged 7.7 points and 4.8 rebounds per game while ranking second on the team in steals with 41. She was a two-time team co-captain and won the squad's leadership award following her senior year.

Fauser graduated from Truman State in 1998 with a bachelor degree in psychology.