The Mount Mercy men's and women's bowling teams have a new head coach and it's a familiar face. Andy Diercks, former Mustang assistant and interim head coach, is taking over the program, Athletics Director Scot Reisinger announced Tuesday.

"We are excited to name Andy as our next head bowling coach," Reisinger said. "He showed outstanding leadership to the bowling program as interim coach. Andy is known throughout the bowling community as a teacher of the game and his reputation and contacts will help him recruit top student-athletes to Mount Mercy."

Diercks has resigned as the boys bowling coach at Linn-Mar High School to take the job at Mount Mercy.

Diercks had been interim head coach since December and previously served as an assistant coach with the Mustangs for two seasons. He was part of the Mount Mercy coaching staff during the 2012-13 campaign when the men's team reached the final eight at the Intercollegiate Team Championships and the women's squad won the Midwest Collegiate Conference title.

"I am excited to become the head coach of the Mount Mercy bowling programs and I hope to continue building on the success we have already had in this relatively young program," said Diercks. "The University provides a fantastic education that I am proud to recruit for."

Diercks is a United States Bowling Congress (USBC) Silver Coach and Gold Candidate and is the only IBPSIA Certified Technician in the state of Iowa. His previous coaching experience included time with the International Art of Bowling (IAB) and six years as head coach of the Linn-Mar High School boys' bowling team.

With IAB, Diercks was a staff coach and manager, working with Jason Belmonte (two-time PBA Player of the Year), Diandra Asbaty (2012 Queens Champion) and USBC Gold Coach Ron Hoppe. He also served as Tournament Director for the Elite Youth Tour until 2014.

At Linn-Mar, Diercks led the Lions to three Mississippi Valley Conference titles and two regional championships. He was the 2013 MVC Coach of the Year and the Metro Coach of the Year in 2010, 2011 and 2013.