Ermi was named as the interim head coach back in November and led the Cardinals to their fourth overall ECAC Upstate Championship title and their third this decade. Fisher finished with an overall record of 18-10, marking the 33rd time in the program’s 35-year history it has finished with a winning record.
Prior to the 2008-09 season, Ermi served as an assistant coach for 23 seasons under head coach Phil Kahler, who retired in November. Kahler established Fisher as the all-time winningest team in NCAA Division III, while posting a 797-175 record (40-4 against non-NCAA opponents). He led the Cardinals to winning records in 32 of his final 33 seasons, and 20-wins on 27 different occasions. The Cardinals earned a bid into the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament 14 times, including two national runner-up finishes.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that Marianne has always been the right person for this job,” says
Bob Ward, Fisher’s athletic director since 1987. “We have a rich and illustrious tradition when it comes to women’s basketball and I’m confident Marianne will keep the program headed in the right direction.”
A native of Schenectady, Ermi began her coaching career after four years of playing under Kahler. In her playing days, Ermi evolved into one of the College’s top basketball players and led Fisher to four straight state tournament appearances in the early 1980s, when the Cardinals were an NCAA Division II program. She finished her career ranked sixth at the College in career assists with 278 and ranked fourth in career free-throw shooting percentage, making 76.4% of her shots from the charity stripe. For her outstanding efforts, the four-year starting guard was inducted in Fisher’s Athletic Hall of Fame in October of 2008.
Ermi’s presence on the sideline over the past 23 seasons has not gone unnoticed. In 2003 she was honored by the Basketball Coaches Association of New York for her dedication and success, as one of just five recipients of the Assistant Coaches Award.
Marianne resides in Rush with her husband, Mark, and their two children, Meghan and Shaun.