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Kiefer Haffey looks to take Detroit Mercy women’s hoops to next level: ‘We want more’

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Kiefer Haffey looks to take Detroit Mercy women’s hoops to next level: ‘We want more’


Detroit ― The last several times Detroit Mercy went looking for a new head women’s basketball coach, school officials were seeking a culture changer to oversee yet another rebuild.

This time was much different. The foundation had been laid by the work of Kate Achter and her staff, so when she left for Western Michigan last month, Detroit Mercy went through a national search ― but settled on continuity.

That led to the promotion of Kiefer Haffey to the head-coach’s office in Calihan Hall. Haffey, who at 31 is one of the youngest head coaches in Division I, was on Achter’s staff all three seasons with the Titans and he was an overwhelmingly popular pick among the players to succeed Achter.

“I’m excited that it’s not taking over a position somewhere where I’m trying to learn the lay of the land,” Haffey, in a gray Titans sweatshirt and a backward baseball cap, said the other day on campus. “You know, both with the roster, with the staff, with the university itself, with the people ― we get to pick it up and keep it moving.

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“We have some consistency and some continuity moving forward. In my perspective of college basketball at every level, the teams who compete to win championships have consistency and continuity, right?

“We know what we’ve got and now we get to identify what we feel is the right way to do it to take it to the next level.”

In the five years before Achter arrived as head coach, Detroit Mercy women’s basketball had won just 11 games. The Titans won five in her first season, then went 17-16 in her second and 15-15 this past season, her third. She was a hot commodity in coaching searches after every season at Detroit Mercy, and finally was wooed away by Western Michigan, with a higher salary ($275,000) and pledges of more resources, including in the NIL landscape.

Detroit Mercy conducted a national search for her replacement, using the same firm that helped them land men’s head coach Mark Montgomery a year ago. There were 50 initial candidates, cut down to 10, then four, then two.

Haffey was a strong candidate from the get-go, as athletic director Robert Vowels learned in his first meeting with the players following Achter’s departure.

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“Kiefer was always in that max,” Vowels said. “And what was important for us, he had been here through the start of the rebuild, and we knew that this wasn’t going to be a rebuild.

“He has everything we’re looking for.”

That “everything” started with his connections, particularly locally. He’s spent his entire life in Michigan, growing up in Novi, where he first got the bug to coach ― and debuted as an assistant coach for a youth parks-and-rec team at 14 or 15, as part of volunteer curriculum when he was attending Detroit Catholic Central. The team lost every game. but that didn’t discourage him. The next year, he had his own team, a fifth-grade church “B” team.

The journey continued, through high school and college (he graduated from Novi, then earned a bachelor’s at Wayne State). On the AAU circuit, he helped coach the Michigan Storm. At Wayne State, he was a student manager.

After graduating from Wayne State, though, Haffey didn’t have any imminent basketball opportunities, despite “having bugged as many people as I could.” So he went to work for Meritor, an automotive logistics company based in Troy. He was good at it. He made really good money. They offered to promote him. He told them not to. He knew the job wasn’t for him, it wasn’t his passion, it wasn’t basketball.

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“I hated it,” Haffey said, who also has a master’s from Michigan. “For some reason, they thought I was really good at it.”

Haffey got connected with Thad Sankey, then the head women’s coach at Concordia University, an NAIA school in Ann Arbor, and gave Haffey a spot on the staff. It paid a $1,000 stipend, a “salary” Haffey was able to work with thanks to the support of his parents, with whom he was able to live. The leap of faith paid off, and not that far down the road. In 2018, Sankey took a job as head coach at Jamestown University in his home state of Nebraska, and Haffey, then 24, was promoted to head coach (which paid a little over $40,000).

Concordia was 8-23 in his first season, progressing to 19-12 in his last, before taking the job at Detroit Mercy. He was 61-58 in his four seasons as a head coach.

At Detroit Mercy, he proved key to Achter’s recruiting efforts. He had the relationships on the youth circuit, and he also proved quite good at building relationships with the players, pre- and post-commitment. As he said, “If we don’t win the relationship part of recruiting, shame on us.”

“He builds a personal connection off the court, and it just translates onto the court,” said guard Aaliyah McQueen, who will be returning for a sixth year of college ball. “(He’s good at) recognizing how everyone plays and how everyone is, in their own different way, and adjusting to that, coaching us to where it makes each person better individually.

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“I think that’s really good for us, coming into this next season.

“It’s a positive outlook for us.”

Said Achter, on Haffey: “He’s well-liked with the players. He has a good rapport with the kids.”

McQueen, a Grand Blanc native who averaged 13.5 points and 7.3 rebounds last season, will be the leading scorer and rebounder returning for the Titans, but Haffey worked fast to secure commitments from the active roster. Eight players are set to return from last season’s team, including sophomore guard Makayla Jackson, who averaged 8.7 points and was contemplating making the move to Western Michigan with Achter.

Also back are junior guard Myonna Hooper (West Bloomfield), who started 17 games last season; graduate-student forward Jasmine Edwards (Westland), who started 25 games; and senior guard Katie Burton, who started nine games. He’s kept the commitment of freshman forward recruit Cameron McMaster, from Canada, and added a commitment from freshman guard/forward recruit Rayven McQueen, Aaliyah’s sister. They will play together for the first time.

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Haffey also is keeping much of the coaching staff in place, including assistants Juanita Cochran and Antonio Capaldi, and adding Kevin Mondro, a longtime staple in the Metro Detroit hoops community who has had long stints on staff at Eastern Michigan and Detroit Mercy. Most recently, he was head coach at Cleary University, an NAIA school in Howell.

Walking through the coach’s corridor on the upper level of Calihan Hall, not a whole lot seems to have changed ― except, of course, Haffey is in the bigger office, across the hall ― and that’s by design. The program, unlike four years ago, is in a good place, even if there always will be obstacles, including outdated facilities and a lack of NIL resources. Achter barely had $10,000 to work with on that front. Haffey should have more to work with, through additional buy games and designating a couple of back-end scholarships toward that fund, but it’s still Detroit Mercy, a program that hasn’t been to the NCAA Tournament since 1997. Haffey and Co. aren’t selling history, though recent history ain’t bad.

“We are all obsessed with the game of basketball,” said Haffey, who lives in Plymouth with wife Eliza, a dietician at the University of Michigan. “And the fun part is when kids say ‘yes’ to that.

“Like, 15-15, four years ago that probably would’ve been great, right? But for us, it’s just enough. It’s just not enough.

“We want more, and I think we always will.”

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Haffey signed a four-year contract as head coach, with a salary believed to be worth at least $200,000 a year. Detroit Mercy is a private institution and, thus, doesn’t have to disclose contract terms.

Division 1 women’s basketball coaches in Michigan

Michigan: Kim Barnes-Arico, hired in 2012

Michigan State: Robyn Fralick, 2023

Central Michigan: Kristin Haynie, 2023

Eastern Michigan: Sahar Nusseibeh, 2024

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Western Michigan: Kate Achter, 2025

Detroit Mercy: Kiefer Haffey, 2025

Oakland: Keisha Newell, 2025

tpaul@detroitnews.com

@tonypaul1984

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Detroit, MI

Fired Detroit TV anchor Taryn Asher files sex discrimination lawsuit against old station, claims new GM protected men

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Fired Detroit TV anchor Taryn Asher files sex discrimination lawsuit against old station, claims new GM protected men


A fired Detroit TV news anchor blasted her former station, and their parent company, for letting her male colleagues’ bad behavior slide and then axing her when she complained about the unfair treatment, a new lawsuit claims.

Taryn Asher filed the federal sexual discrimination lawsuit on Wednesday against Fox Television Stations and her former workplace, WJBK TV, known as Fox 2 Detroit, in connection with her sudden termination in November.

Taryn Asher filed a federal lawsuit against her former station, Fox 2 Detroit, for sexual discrimination. Linkedin / Taryn Asher

The station went downhill after Fox 2 hired Paul McGonagle as their general manager —  sparking a slew of female firings, while men, including Asher’s co-anchor Roop Raj, were offered more perks, the 26-page complaint obtained by The Post alleged.

“If Asher had not been female, she would not have been treated in the same discriminatory manner,” the filing, first reported by Deadline Detroit, said.

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Raj was treated “more favorably” and offered “more guest interview segment opportunities on the evening news,” as well as scheduling adjustments, Asher claimed.

In one example, Asher alleged the station refused to let her adjust her schedule to host a show called “Let it Rip,” though Raj was given the leeway to host his show, “The Pulse.”

The suit also alleged that WJBK allowed him to “circumvent and undermine” Asher’s work responsibilities.

She later emailed McGonagle about the situation, writing, “I’m concerned about the lack of balance and equity, particularly compared to my co-anchor who holds the same responsibilities but has a more accommodating schedule.”

Asher alleged her co-anchor, Roop Raj, was offered more guest interview segment opportunities and schedule accommodations. Facebook / Roop Raj¿

McGonagle met with Asher to tell her she would not be adjusting the schedule, and her new program would be put on hold, according to court papers.

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An Emmy award-winning veteran broadcast journalist, Asher claimed that Raj had also been assigned all of the guest interviews they were supposed to split for Election Day, court documents said.

After complaining to management to no avail, Asher decided to speak with the co-anchor about her concerns that he was receiving “preferable treatment.”

The lawsuit denied that Asher had any “outbursts” that warranted her to be fired. Linkedin / Taryn Asher

The next day, Raj contacted human resources and “offensively labeled Asher as ‘jealous,’ and grossly mischaracterized Asher’s complaints of sex-based discrimination as Asher ‘[having] an issue with men vs. women,” court papers claim.

Shortly after, Asher was placed on leave “pending an investigation into alleged complaints of ‘egregious behavior’” with her Fox colleagues — and fired after a two-week probe for “outbursts” in the newsroom, the lawsuit said.

Asher denied having any such “outbursts” that warranted her to be fired, according to court papers.

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Several male employees at the station had also exhibited “unprofessional behavior and misconduct” with lesser consequences, the filing alleged.

Among the examples, Raj was allegedly “merely suspended” for two weeks after being arrested for driving under the influence in 2012, and McGonagle was also allegedly promoted after a DUI arrest at a different Fox station.

Asher is seeking unspecified damages from Fox Television Stations and WJBK TV.

The action followed the longtime Detroit anchor’s complaint with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that was subjected to “less favorable treatment” than male employees.

Neither Fox, McGonagle, nor Raj responded to The Post’s request for comment.

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Detroit Tigers sweep Tampa Bay Rays in win as Dillon Dingler stays hot

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Detroit Tigers sweep Tampa Bay Rays in win as Dillon Dingler stays hot


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ST. PETERSBURG, FL – Almost every Detroit Tigers hitter looks improved through three games in June, but Dillon Dinger continues to go above and beyond. He put the Tigers on his back for a sweep of one of MLB’s best teams.

The Tigers scored in each of the first four innings en route to a 7-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday, June 3, in the finale of the three-game series at Tropicana Field, sweeping the series for a three-game winning streak.

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It’s the first sweep for the Tigers since April 14-16.

Dingler hit a three-run home run in the fourth inning.

Facing the Rays, Dingler hit .462 (6-for-13) with three home runs and nine RBIs across 14 plate appearances. The 27-year-old drove in four runs apiece in Monday’s opener and Wednesday’s finale.

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He is hitting .241 with 14 homers and an .830 OPS in 56 games.

The Tigers improved to 25-38, while the Rays, who entered Wednesday with the best record in the American League, dropped to 36-23. As of Wednesday afternoon, the Tigers are 10½ games behind the first-place Cleveland Guardians in the AL Central.

More importantly, the Tigers experienced a run-scoring breakthrough at Tropicana Field.

The offense scored 81 runs (with 18 home runs) through 28 games in May, only to score 25 runs (with 10 home runs) in the first three games in June.

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On the mound

Right-hander Troy Melton struggled early on.

But he dominated throughout the middle and late innings.

The 25-year-old didn’t throw a first-pitch strike to the first eight batters he faced, and the Rays took advantage of his command issues by scoring one run apiece in a 19-pitch first inning and a 17-pitch second inning.

The result of those runs: The Rays tied the game, 1-1, on Yandy Díaz’s RBI single in the first and tied the game again, 2-2, on Cedric Mullins’ solo home run in the second.

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Melton suddenly threw a first-pitch strike for the first time to Victor Mesa Jr., immediately following Mullins’s homer and Nick Fortes’ single.

He faced the minimum 21 batters after Fortes’ single, needing 14 pitches in the third inning, 10 in the fourth, eight in the fifth, six in the sixth and eight in the seventh and 12 in the eighth.

His only blemish during that stretch came on a leadoff walk to Jonathan Aranda in the third inning, losing a nine-pitch battle. He bounced back by erasing Aranda on the bases with a double play, then he struck out Richie Palacios.

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Melton owns a 1.74 ERA in three starts since returning May 24 from the injured list after suffering right elbow inflammation in spring training.

At the plate

The story continues to be the offense.

It’s a small sample size, but the Tigers keep hitting in June.

The Tigers grabbed the lead in the first inning for the fourth game in a row, courtesy of Gleyber Torres’ leadoff double and Dingler’s RBI single.

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Torres attacked a first-pitch cutter from right-hander Nick Martinez in his second game since returning from the injured list, recovering from a left oblique strain.

Martinez allowed six runs on nine hits and one walk with one strikeout across four innings, throwing 58 pitches. He hadn’t allowed more than two runs in his first 11 starts, entering Wednesday with a 1.62 ERA.

He now has a 2.29 ERA after his 12th start.

After taking a 1-0 lead, the Tigers made it 2-1 in the second on Jake Rogers’ home run and 3-2 in the third on Spencer Torkelson’s sacrifice fly.

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The big swing occurred in the fourth inning.

Singles from Matt Vierling and Torres put two runners on for Dingler with two outs, and, with two strikes, he pulled Martinez’s middle-away cutter for a three-run home run.

It put the Tigers ahead, 6-2.

A sacrifice fly from Kerry Carpenter extended the Tigers’ lead to 7-2 in the ninth inning.

Next up: Comerica Park

The six-game road trip is in the books.

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The Tigers have an off day Thursday – with another off day approaching on Monday – as they return home to Comerica Park for a three-game series against the AL West-leading Seattle Mariners, beginning Friday (6:40 p.m., Detroit SportsNet).

The probable pitchers for the series: left-hander Framber Valdez on Friday, right-hander Keider Montero on Saturday and right-hander Jack Flaherty on Sunday.

For the Mariners, All-Star right-hander Bryan Woo is scheduled to start Friday’s opener.

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.





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Another bribery scandal hits Detroit. It involves the People Mover

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Another bribery scandal hits Detroit. It involves the People Mover


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  • A former Detroit People Mover official is accused of accepting $300,000 in bribes.
  • The official allegedly approved phony invoices for IT work that was never performed.
  • The businessman who submitted the invoices owned a home restoration company with no IT experience.

More than a decade ago, a juror in a Detroit public corruption trial that ended with three men getting convicted in a $97 million bribery scheme exclaimed: “Hopefully this is the end of this nightmare … this is a whole new beginning.”

It didn’t quite go that way as the following years saw two city councilmen indictments, a dozen school principal bribery convictions, a towing scandal, as well as a toxic dirt and demolition fiasco.

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And now there’s this.

In a new criminal filing in U.S. District Court, a former city official in charge of the Detroit People Mover shuttle is charged with taking $300,000 in bribes from a businessmen who reportedly billed the city for work that was never performed — all with the help of his connected associate.

According to a criminal complaint unsealed Tuesday, June 2 in U.S. District Court, the alleged scheme involves 55-year-old Michael Anderson, a former director with the Detroit Transportation Corporation, who allegedly helped Detroit businessman Terrence Parker bill the city for nearly $305,000 in information technology work that was never performed.

Moreover, court records show, Parker’s company has no experience with IT work, but rather performs restoration work on homes damaged by storms and natural disasters. Still, the FBI says, Parker managed to submit 22 phony invoices to the DTC for IT work, including fixing computer monitors — and got paid for all of it. That’s because Anderson was approving his phony invoices from the inside, the government says, and getting money in exchange for his help.

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Anderson and Parker both are charged with conspiracy and federal program theft/bribery and face up to 10 years in prison, if convicted. They were released on bond following their initial appearances in U.S. District Court. Their court-appointed lawyer could not be reached for comment.

According to the complaint, Anderson, who was hired by the city in 2022, was in charge of overseeing People Mover operations until he was fired in April for conduct unrelated to the pending criminal case. Parker owns a business called Total Care Restoration (TCR), which performs restoration work on homes damaged by fire, water, windstorms, or other elements.

According to the government, Parker was billing the DTC for information technology services, even though his company has no experience in that field, nor has it ever submitted a bid proposal to the city for such work, or signed any contract with the DTC.

Still, the government alleges, between 2023-25, the DTC paid nearly $305,000 to TCR for 23 invoices it had submitted, 22 of those invoices charged for IT services.

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“Anderson approved the invoices and Parker deposited the checks into TCR’s bank account. TCR did not submit any invoices or receive any payments before Anderson was hired as Procurement Director. Likewise, TCR did not submit any invoices or receive any payments after Anderson was fired as Procurement Director,” the complaint states.

According to the government, Anderson did actually procure and manage IT contracts with a number of companies while he worked for the DTC. But TCR was billing the city for work that those companies had been contracted to do.

“At least six TCR invoices listed work that was actually contracted to (another company),” an FBI agent wrote in his affidavit attached to the criminal complaint.

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Also noteworthy, the FBI agent writes: “Most of TCR’s invoices contained a charge for debris removal. In my experience, debris removal is a common line item for restoration projects but not for IT work.”

According to the complaint, the FBI figured out that Parker was funneling money to Anderson by reviewing their bank records, and noticing that their deposits and withdrawals coincided. For example, on Aug. 16, 2024, Parker deposited a DTC check for $23,934 and withdrew $18,000 cash. That same day and over the next several days, Anderson made cash deposits into his account for $1,500, $1,300, $1,000, $700 and $1,850.

“There is probable cause to believe that Parker paid Anderson a portion of the money from the TCR invoices,” the FBI agent writes.

Contact Tresa Baldas: tbaldas@freepress.com



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