COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Women’s Basketball head coach Robin Pingeton was named a 2017 Werner Ladder Naismith Women’s College Coach of the Year National Semifinalist, as announced by the Atlanta Tipoff Club on Friday.
Pingeton is one of 10 head coaches across the nation to be named a national semifinalist for the award. She is joined on the list by Texas’ Karen Aston, Connecticut’s Geno Auriemma, Maryland’s Brenda Frese, North Carolina State’s Brenda Frese, Washington’s Mike Neighbors, Oregon State’s Scott Rueck, Mississippi State’s Vic Schaefer, Florida State’s Sue Semrau and Stanford’s Tara VanDerveer.
The award’s national voting academy will submit ballots and narrow the list from 10 coaches to four national finalists on March 15. The Naismith College Coach of the Year will be officially decided on March 31.
Pingeton was recently named Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year after leading Mizzou (21-9, 11-5) to an incredible regular season. It was the first SEC Coach of the Year honor for Pingeton and the third conference coach of the year award of her career (2004 and 2010 Missouri Valley Coach of the Year at Illinois State).
Despite losing All-SEC forward Jordan Frericks and key reserve Bri Porter in the frontcourt to preseason injuries, Pingeton has guided Mizzou to a historic campaign in 2016-17, leading the Tigers to back-to-back 21-win seasons for the first time since 1983-84 and 1984-85. Picked to place seventh in the SEC in the preseason poll, Mizzou finished third in the league with an 11-5 mark in conference play, its best conference finish since 1990. Mizzou’s 11 conference wins are also its most since 1990.
Under Pingeton, Mizzou now has five consecutive winning seasons for the first time since 1985-1990. The Tigers, who owned an 11-7 overall record four games into league action, won 10 of their final 12 games to clinch a double bye in the SEC Tournament and catapult into the Associated Press Top 25. During the home stretch, Mizzou put together a pair of five-game win streaks, MU’s longest streaks in conference play since 1990. It marked the first time in program history that Mizzou rattled off two separate win streaks of five or more in league play.
Pingeton and company won 15 home games during the 2016-17 season, knocking off three ranked opponents, No. 25 Kentucky, No. 25 Texas A&M and No. 6 South Carolina, along the way. Dating back to last season, the Tigers have won five consecutive games over ranked opponents at Mizzou Arena.
Pingeton’s emphasis on the importance of rebounding and free throw shooting has paid big dividends this season. Despite the loss of two forwards, Mizzou outrebounded opponents in 22 of 30 games and held opponents to a league-low 31.0 rebounds per contest in conference play. The Tigers, who rank second in the nation in free throw percentage shooting 80.1 percent, are also on pace to shatter single-season program and SEC records at the charity stripe. Mizzou has shot above 70 percent in 27 of 30 games.
The Tigers begin play at the 2017 SEC Tournament in Greenville, S.C., on Friday evening. No. 3 seed Mizzou advanced to the quarterfinals after locking up a double bye. The Tigers will face No. 6-seed Texas A&M on Friday with tip off set for approximately 7:30 p.m.
— Mizzou Athletics —