Dec. 20, 2005
Normal, Ill. -
Kristi Cirone of Illinois State became the first women's basketball player in Missouri Valley Conference history to earn both the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week and State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Week honors. Cirone, a 5-foot-8 freshman guard from Chicago's Resurrection High School, scored 27 points in the Redbirds' 83-71 win Sunday at UTEP.
This is the third year that the Valley has recognized a Newcomer of the Week, and, in the 36 weeks both awards have been presented, no other player has swept the honors. For Cirone, it's the third time in five weeks this season she has been Player of the Week. She joins senior center Holly Hallstrom as the second Redbird to earn Player of the Week honors this season.
Redbird coach Robin Pingeton appreciates the work Cirone has done to make those awards happen.
"This is a tremendous honor for Kristi," said Pingeton. "For a freshman to receive both of these awards in the Missouri Valley Conference and receive this recognition is terrific. Kristi herself, however, would tell you that she is just happy that our team could get such an important road win against a tough, physical, veteran basketball team like UTEP."
The Redbirds are 5-3 despite playing all eight games without their top returning scorer, junior guard Megan McCracken, who is out with a hip injury. With the injury to McCracken, Cirone has emerged as the Redbirds' leading scorer with 16.3 points per game--the 27 at UTEP her career high. Cirone is among the Valley's top five in assists per game (4.75 per game), assist/turnover ratio (1.81:1), three-point field goals made (2.5 per game) and minutes played (35.75 per game). She also is No. 7 in the Valley in scoring and No. 8 in three-point field goal percentage (.426).
"I've said this before: I think Kristi is the kind of kid and the kind of athlete who will do whatever it takes to get this program going in the right direction," said Pingeton. "Her play is just a start of a lot of great things to come for Illinois State basketball."
Cirone is the first freshman to be recognized as State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week in Valley women's basketball since Jan. 22, 2002, when Missouri State's Jenni Lingor earned the honor. Lingor went on to be 2002 Valley Freshman of the Year.
Illinois State has a chance to match the program's all-time non-conference win record with a win Thursday at Illinois, an 86-75 upset winner over No. 15 Oklahoma on Sunday.
The Redbird Arena Ticket Office has a limited number of $7 reserved seat tickets available for the Illinois State game at Illinois. Fans can obtain tickets in the Redbird block by calling (309) 438-8000. All day-of-game tickets at the Assembly Hall are general admission.
