Newberry Athletic Director Ralph Patterson announced Hanah Rotello as the interim head coach for the 2021 season on December 11, 2020.
"Based on the outstanding job Hanah has done as an assistant since she has been at Newberry, and the great feedback we've received from our student-athletes, she deserves the opportunity to lead this program this season," said Patterson. "We look forward to a great year. I also want to thank Racquel Prager for her hard work and enthusiasm while our head coach. She leaves the program in much better shape than when she arrived."
Senior Woman Administrator Casey Petrusic added, "While we are sad to see Racquel Prager leave and wish her nothing but the best, we are excited for Hanah Rotello to step in and continue to move the program in the right direction. The team has had nothing but positives to say about Coach Rotello since the start of the fall, and we are happy to have her lead the program for this year."
In a shortened season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Rotello led the Wolves to a 5-7 record and a 4-5 record in South Atlantic Conference play to end the regular season and secured a trip in the SAC Tournament since their first season in the conference back in 2014. The Wolves were slated to face Wingate on their field for the second time that season in the quarterfinals on Apr. 20 but due to COVID-19 protocols, Newberry had to withdraw from the tournament, ending their 2021 season.
Rotello saw three players named to All-South Atlantic Conference teams this season, with junior midfielder Chloe Wood earning first team, senior attacker Sophie Moore earning second team and sophomore defender Messersmith earning honorable mention for their terrific play in 2021. In addition, Moore and Messersmith won SAC Player Of the Week honors, with Moore being named the offensive player on March 8 following her performances in the Young Harris and Mars Hill games and Messersmith won the defensive award on March 22 following her performances in the Tusculum game.
Rotello served as the assistant coach for the Wolves from September of 2019 until her her elevation to the interim head coach , helping organize and conduct practices as well as recruiting and holding academic meetings and checks for the student-athletes. While Newberry's 2020 spring season was cut short due to COVID-19, the Wolves surpassed their win total from the year before, going 4-5.
Before coming to Newberry, Rotello served as a graduate assistant at Wheeling Jesuit University in West Virginia in 2019. She served as defensive coordinator, implementing a high-pressure double defense, and the Cardinals would advance to the Mountain East Conference Championship game. She also worked with players on academics, helped with recruiting, scheduled travel, and broke down film. Prior to Wheeling Jesuit, she worked as an undergraduate intern in the athletic department at Lee University, assisting with compliance and game operations for fall sports.
Rotello was a two-year captain for Lee University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics in December of 2018. While playing for the Flames, she was the school's FCA program leader, served as a math tutor, and was involved in several other service organizations. She earned her Masters Degree in Business Administration from Wheeling University in August of 2020.
Rotello graduated from Lee with a bachelor's degree in mathematics in the fall of 2018. She resides in Newberry.
