Chicago, IL - The Robert Morris Women's Basketball team will have a new hand on the helm this coming season as RMC Athletic Director Megan Smith Eggert announced the appointment of John Natanek as head coach.

Coach Natanek spent the last nine seasons as assistant to Illinois coaching legend Bob Hallberg at St. Xavier University. Before joining the Lady Cougars' staff, he logged time as a prep coach at Hillcrest High School in Country Club Hills, IL, and Montini High School in Lombard, IL.

"We're excited to have a coach with John's experience in a successful program take over our team," said Smith Eggert. "He is already familiar with our players and has jumped into recruiting with both feet."

A graduate of SXU, he earned a degree in history and political science while competing on the basketball court. He is currently completing his Master of Business Administration at his alma mater.

"We've got a great foundation in place," says Coach Natanek, referring to the Lady Eagles' earning their first ever bid to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics National Championship tournament in 2008, "and we've got a great example of the kind of program we want to run across the hall in Coach Bruehl's men's team."

Al Bruehl's Robert Morris Eagles have made six straight appearances in the NAIA National tournament, reaching the Final Four in four times and finishing as national runners-up in 2002. They were ranked the nation's wire-to-wire #1 team in 2006-2007 before falling in a quadruple overtime national semi-final.

"We're going to play an exciting, disciplined brand of basketball that will play off the strengths of our players," says Coach Natanek.

The newest RMC mentor resides in Palos Heights, IL, with his wife Joy and their two children, Morgan and Jack.

Robert Morris is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics and competes in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference. The Eagles field teams in twenty-one men's and women's sports. The College also belongs to the Unites States Bowling Congress-Collegiate Division, the American Collegiate Hockey Association, the United States Collegiate Athletic Association, and the United Dance Association.

The College is a private, not-for-profit, associate, baccalaureate, and master's degree-granting institution, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Over 7000 students pursuing an education that meets the demands of today's business, graphic arts, health care, culinary, and technical worlds are served at the College's main campus in Chicago as well as at locations in DuPage, Orland Park, Bensenville, Springfield, Peoria and Lake County.  

Robert Morris College admits students of any race, color, sex, national origin, or with any handicap to all the rights, privileges and activities generally accorded or made available to students at Robert Morris College. The College does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, sex, national origin or students with disabilities in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, loan programs, career services, housing, and school administered programs.