BUFFALO, N.Y. - The Canisius College women's basketball program announced the hiring of two members of its coaching staff Tuesday, as Kerrie James and Kelly Kell will join the Golden Griffins for the 2015-16 season. James will serve as an assistant coach, while Kell will handle the director of basketball operations duties.

"We are very excited to add Kerrie and Kelly to our program,” head coach Terry Zeh said. “They bring a unique set of talents that will really help develop our players and program."

James joins the staff after most recently serving as an assistant coach for the Lewis University women's basketball team. The Mississauga, Ontario, native spent three seasons with the Flyers beginning in 2012.

This past season, James helped guide the Flyers to a 31-3 record including a 17-1 conference mark in the Division II, Great Lakes Valley Conference. Despite missing out on a conference title, the Flyers earned a postseason berth and won the program's first-ever Midwest Regional Championship to qualify for the Elite Eight.

In 2012-13, James helped guide the Flyers to an overall record of 24-6, which was the best turnaround in Division II, after the Flyers went 8-20 in 2011-12.

Before her stint with Lewis, James worked four years with the Kent State Golden Flashes women's basketball staff, serving two years as an assistant coach (2010-12) and two as the director of basketball operations (2008-10). James helped Kent State to the Women's National Invitational Tournament in the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons.

James is a December 2007 graduate of Kent State, earning a bachelor's degree of fine and professional arts, with a major in sports management and a minor in marketing. She is also working towards a master's degree in organizational leadership, which she is expected to complete this summer.

"Kerrie brings a strong resume having both played and coached at the Division I level,” Zeh said. “Kerrie understands what it takes to be successful as a student athlete. She also has great communication skills which enables her to relate to our players.”

Kell joins the staff after serving as the assistant coach for D'Youville last season. The Kingston, N.Y. native brings a player's perspective after playing two years at Hudson Valley Community College and two years at Buffalo State.

Kell served as team captain for all four years of her basketball career. She finished her two-year stint with the Bengals with 164 points, 98 rebounds and 134 assists.

“Kelly has great passion and energy for the game of basketball,” Zeh said. “She loves to compete and that will have a positive effect on our players"

Aside from her coaching and playing career, Kell can help instill leadership as she was a public relations representative for the Student Athlete Advisory Committee at Buffalo State during the 2013-14 season. In that capacity she planned and participated in community service projects and advertised upcoming athletic events on campus.

Kell received her associate's degree from Hudson Valley in 2012 and completed her bachelor's degree in public relations in May of 2015.