ELLENSBURG, Wash.—Central Washington Athletics has announced the addition of two staff members for the 2021-22 athletic year.
 
Bianca Mendez, a former graduate assistant at Central, rejoins the Wildcats as an assistant athletic trainer, and Marc Keefer has been hired as the Wildcats' new Sports Equipment & Game Operations manager. Both will begin their duties on Friday, July 16.
 
Mendez is returning to CWU after spending the 2020-21 athletic year as an assistant athletic trainer at Seattle Pacific, where she worked directly with Men's Soccer and Cross Country/Track & Field teams. At SPU, Mendez managed all COVID-19 testing documentation and record keeping in addition to performing her daily duties inside the training room.
 
Mendez will work specifically with women's soccer and women's basketball at Central, in addition to serving the department's student-athletes daily.
 
"We are extremely excited to welcome back Bianca to our athletic training staff," CWU head athletic trainer Isaac Perry said. "During her previous time at CWU as a former GA, she did outstanding work with our teams and earned the respect of our student-athletes and coaches.  Her wealth of knowledge, and dedication to the health of our student-athletes will have a tremendous impact on our athletic department."
 
Mendez is a 2018 graduate of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, where she majored in Athletic Training. She received her Master of Science degree from CWU in 2020.
 
Keefer, a volunteer assistant on the Central football staff since March 2020, has significant athletic operations experience.
 
Prior to his time working with Wildcat football, Keefer served as Athletic Director at Marine Corps Community Services-Marine Corps Base Hawaii, in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, from April 2018 to June 2019. He spent the previous year as Intermural Sports Coordinator at the base.
 
"We feel extremely fortunate to have someone with Marc's experience join our team," CWU Deputy Director of Athletics Gary Hyatt said. "Early on in the process it was evident that Marc had the right qualities to continue the excellent service we have provided our student-athletes in the past and move us forward in athletics' ever-changing environment.  It can be a challenge to find the right person, especially when you are replacing a CWU legend like Teresa Miller, but I am excited to see our equipment and game management areas continue to be successful under Marc's leadership.
 
A graduate of Eastern Washington (2007), Keefer is no stranger to the area, having served as a strength coach at Wenatchee Valley Community College during the 2016-17 athletic year.
 
Keefer earned his Master of Science degree from Southern Utah in 2020.