April 20, 2005
Normal, Ill. -
Senior guard Jaci McCormack, was honored with the Jill Hutchison Coaches Award for excellence in team leadership as well as the team's award for free throw accuracy at the 2005 Illinois State University Women's Basketball Banquet Wednesday at Redbird Arena. Junior Holly Hallstrom was honored as the team's top rebounder.
McCormack led the Redbirds to their first NCAA Tournament berth in 16 years with clutch plays like the game-winning shot with 0.8 seconds left in the 2005 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Championship game against Indiana State. The Most Outstanding Player in the tournament, McCormack averaged 13.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.1 steals per game for the season. A nationally-recognized coaching leader, Hutchison led Redbird basketball for 28 years, winning 461 games before her retirement from coaching in 1999.
The banquet, which featured more than 200 guests, also honored seniors Katie Donovan, who finished her career in the top 10 in Redbird career points, rebounds and assists; Michelle Harakas, who played a key role in the Redbirds' three wins over 20-win teams in 45 hours to win the Valley Tournament; Sophie Tirtiaux, who contributed key performances off the bench in Redbird victories during her career; and Chris Kutschinski, who was able to play just two of her four seasons because of injuries, but still contributed to team success.
After a 10-17 regular season record, No. 8 seed Illinois State became not only the lowest seeded team in Valley Tournament history to win a game, but the lowest to win the tournament. The Redbirds, a No. 15 seed in the NCAA Tournament, were eliminated by eventual NCAA Champion Baylor, but scored more points (70) than any of Baylor's other five tournament victims.
Second-year Redbird coach Robin Pingeton expressed her appreciation to her assistant coaches, staff, volunteers and fans for helping her team realize a dream to reach the NCAA Tournament. She saved her highest praise for her senior class.
"Seasons and players come and go, but players like those in our senior class--with the dedication, perseverance and commitment they had--are remembered forever," said Pingeton, whose team finished 13-18, 7-11 in the Missouri Valley Conference. "These players have set the bar much higher for the future and they put this basketball program back on the map."
Illinois State's attendance was No. 2 in Redbird women's basketball history and the `Birds were No. 13 in the nation with a school record 221 three-point field goals for the season.
Pingeton, who shared the 2005 Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Women's College Coach of the Year award with DePaul's Doug Bruno, received congratulations from Dr. Al Bowman, Illinois State University president.
"I remember talking to Robin when she was being interviewed for the position," said Bowman. "Within five minutes of that conversation, I knew she was the right person to lead our basketball program."
Pingeton reflected honestly about the season.
"We fell short of a lot of goals and expectations set before the season," said Pingeton. "But we reached our No. 1 goal--to get to the NCAA Tournament. In the process, we learned that whatever doesn't kill us surely makes us stronger."
