Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

John Carroll University Athletics

home of the Blue Streaks
Kerry Bebie announcement

Dr. Kerry Bebie '91, '95G Hired as Deputy Director of Athletics

| By: JCUSID
Bebie is a former JCU student-athlete, graduate assistant, and adjunct professor.
UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS – A familiar face is returning home to become the Deputy Director of Athletics.

Dr. Kerry (Spicer) Bebie '91, '95G is returning to John Carroll University to fill an important role in the athletic department.  

Bebie holds two John Carroll degrees, playing volleyball and later coaching basketball for the Blue Streaks in the meantime. Bebie also worked as an adjunct professor for JCU for a decade from 1999-2009. She most recently served as associate professor at Baldwin Wallace. 

"I am incredibly excited to welcome Kerry back to John Carroll as Deputy Director of Athletics," said Director of Athletics Brian Polian. "As we conducted a national search to find the right candidate for this position, Kerry separated herself immediately with her wealth of experience from the coaching, administrative, and academic sides."

This is most certainly a happy homecoming for Bebie, who is delighted to be back in University Heights.

"I'm thrilled to come back home to John Carroll," said Bebie. "I love the Jesuit tradition, rooted in Catholic faith and community. I met wonderful people as a student at JCU, such as Dr. Kathleen Manning, Gretchen Weitbrecht, Tony DeCarlo, and Dr. Jerry Schweickert. I discovered a community that's always available and welcoming. I am so excited to give back and make an impact on John Carroll student-athletes."

Bebie holds plenty of family ties to John Carroll. For starters, she is the daughter of Athletic Hall of Famer Bob Spicer '67. Her daughter, Mary Bebie '21, and her niece, Sara Spicer '21, played basketball for the Blue & Gold.  

A Lakewood native originally, Bebie starred at Magnificat High School before graduating in 1987. She was inducted into the Magnificat Athletic Hall of Fame in 2012. 

Bebie earned four letters as a volleyball player for JCU, playing for Hall of Fame coaches Dr. Kathleen Manning and Gretchen Weitbrecht (set to be inducted in the fall). The 1988 Blue Streaks, one of the best teams in program history, won the Presidents Athletic Conference title with a perfect 12-0 conference record. The Blue Streaks tallied a 30-6 record that year, including a historic 20-match winning streak, one of the longest across all sports in school history. Additionally, the team authored one of the most dramatic comebacks in school history to beat Division I Youngstown State on September 20, 1988. During her junior year in 1989, the Blue Streaks transitioned to the Ohio Athletic Conference. In 1991, Bebie completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in Physical Education.

In 1993, Bebie returned to John Carroll as a graduate assistant for the women's basketball program. The Blue Streaks notched a 20-6 record in 1993-94 under Roxanne Allen and then tallied a 13-12 mark in 1994-95 under Carol Dugan. In 1995, she graduated with her Master of Education (MEd) in Administration and Supervision.

From 1997-99, Bebie served as head women's volleyball coach at nearby Notre Dame College. Then from 1999-2009, Bebie served as an adjunct professor at JCU, spending a decade in University Heights. 

In 2009, Bebie took a job across town at Baldwin Wallace, where she has been ever since. While working as an associate professor at BW, Bebie helped to develop the major for the physical activity and recreation administration and later worked as the area program coordinator for the physical activity and recreation administration major. Importantly, she served as the director of the BW Center for Coaching Excellence.

Through her roles at BW, Bebie has collaborated with the 2nd & 7 Foundation, Greater Cleveland Sports Commission, Cleveland Council on World Affairs, USA Rookie Tackle research, as well as Positive Coaching Alliance. Dr. Bebie holds memberships with SHAPE America, OAHPERD, NRPA and the NCACE. 

In 2011, Bebie earned her PhD from the University of Akron in Higher Education – Curriculum and Instruction. 

"She is going to be an incredible asset to our department and its staff, to our student-athletes, and to the University community in general," said Polian. "It was important to me that we identify someone that understood John Carroll and its Jesuit mission. Kerry knows it well as she embraced as a student-athlete and as coach. We are thrilled to welcome her and her family home and proud to call her a Blue Streak once again."

Bebie is thrilled to get back home to University Heights and is grateful for the opportunity.

"I want to thank Brian Polian and Al Miciak for this chance to give back to a community that helped to raise me," said Bebie. "I always thank my family, starting with my parents and my husband and five kids, as I would not be here without their support. 

"At JCU, Dr. Manning, Dr. Schweickert, and Dr. Welki set expectations for me I never knew I could reach. I've grown thanks to their support and guidance. At BW, I had strong people who helped me in my career. Marcia French was a pioneer for women's sports, while Sue Strew and Amy Jo Sutterluety were mentors for me. I'm excited to pay it forward for our next generations of Blue Streaks."
Print Friendly Version

Related Videos

Related Stories

Sponsors