Latest news with #Pingeton
USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Wisconsin women's basketball signs international center
Wisconsin women's basketball signs international center Wisconsin women's basketball landed a commitment from Croatian center Dorja Zaja on Friday. At 6-foot-3, Zaja joins the Badgers after suiting up for Croatia in FIBA's 2024 U20 Women's EuroBasket action. She played in six contests during the 2024 slate and averaged 12.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per appearance. She also denied 15 shot attempts and snared 32 defensive boards as an anchor in the paint. In addition to her FIBA action, Zaja laced up for Tresnjevka in the Croatia-Premijer League. In 25 regular-season games, the future Badger accounted for 9.4 tallies in just under 21 minutes per contest. Zaja is currently playing in the postseason for Tresnjevka before traveling to Madison. Zaja is Wisconsin's seventh commitment under new head coach Robin Pingeton this offseason, following Illinois forward Shay Bollin, Stony Brook guard Breauna Ware, Howard guard Destiny Howell, NC State guard Laci Steele, Southern Illinois forward Gift Uchenna and Missouri State guard Kyrah Daniels, all of whom were transfer portal additions. While the Badgers' portal activity is encouraging for fans, the team needed to address the center position following the departure of standout forwards Serah Williams and Carter McCray following the season. Uchenna, Bollin and Zaja now figure to pick up those front-court minutes during the 2025-26 slate. Pingeton, who was hired following the resignation of coach Marisa Moseley this spring, has now finalized her roster for the 2025-26 season. The program experienced significant turnover after nearly every member of its 2024-25 roster departed via the transfer portal or graduation. Without Williams, arguably the greatest player to ever play for Wisconsin's program, the Badgers will ignite a new era of hoops under Pingeton. UW will look to improve on a 13-17 output last season, which also included a 4-14 record in Big Ten action. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
USA Today
17-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Wisconsin women's basketball lands former MEAC Player of the Year in transfer portal
Wisconsin women's basketball lands former MEAC Player of the Year in transfer portal Wisconsin women's basketball landed a commitment from Howard transfer guard Destiny Howell on Wednesday. Howell becomes the third transfer addition for the Badgers this offseason, joining forward NC State guard Laci Steele and former Southern Illinois forward Gift Uchenna. After missing the entire 2023-24 season with an ACL injury, Howell averaged 14.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.3 steals in 30.2 minutes per game for the Bison in 2024-25. Those outputs came with shooting rates of 35% from the field and 34% from 3, plus earned her a spot on the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference's First Team for the second time in her career. The Queens, New York, native first broke out as a sophomore in 2022-23, averaging 12.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.4 steals. That preceded a career-best junior season, which included a conference-best 16.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists and one steal per game, plus a conference-leading 40% shooting from the field and 35.6% from 3. Those outputs earned Howell the 2023 MEAC Player of the Year award. If not for her injury, Howell may have further increased her scoring average during her senior season. Still, she transfers to Wisconsin with a clear offensive skill set and the ability to score at multiple levels. Howell will likely fill the void left by former Wisconsin starting point guard Ronnie Porter, who elected to enter the transfer portal in March along with superstar Serah Williams and starting center Carter McCray. Porter averaged 8.6 points and 5.1 assists per game during the 2024-25 season, something Howell could certainly replicate given her dexterity with the basketball. With Howell's addition, UW now rosters a total of nine players. Newly hired head coach Robin Pingeton inherited a roster of only six players after top-down turnover followed the conclusion of the 2024-25 season. The Badgers new head coach is now transforming the program's foundation in real time. Wisconsin went 13-17 in 2024-25, struggling mightily against Big Ten opponents. UW's culture and reputation were in disarray. Early in the transfer cycle, Pingeton appears to be steering the ship back in the right direction. The work is far from over, however. With all of Wisconsin's recent departures, Pingeton will need to land several more players in the portal before expectations can be set for the upcoming campaign. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
USA Today
16-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Wisconsin women's basketball adds standout transfer forward, second addition of offseason
Wisconsin women's basketball adds standout transfer forward, second addition of offseason Wisconsin women's basketball made its second splash of the 2025 offseason on Tuesday. Roughly one week after Wisconsin added its first transfer addition in former NC State guard Laci Steele, the team has bolstered its frontcourt with a much-needed addition. Recently hired head coach Robin Pingeton landed a commitment from former Southern Illinois forward Gift Uchenna, the first signature splash of her tenure in Madison. While Steele boasts an impressive high school resume -- 2023 Oklahoma Gatorade Player of the Year and Edmond-North High School's all-time scoring record -- she averaged just 1.7 points and 0.9 rebounds in limited minutes as a sophomore at NC State. Uchenna, meanwhile, dominated at Southern Illinois in her first season of collegiate action. The Ebonyi State, Nigeria, native averaged 14.5 points, 12.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in 28.7 minutes per game. Her 12.8 rebounds were the second-most by any player in NCAA Division I, trailing only LSU star forward Aneesah Morrow. Uchenna's rebounding talent is undeniable. She snared at least 15 boards in nine games last season, including a 21-rebound performance against Valparaiso on Dec. 29. She also collected 21 double-doubles during her tenure with the Salukis, highlighted by a 34-point, 17-rebound performance against IU Indianapolis in mid-November. While Wisconsin will have a tough time replacing star forward Serah Williams, Uchenna could partially fill the void created by her departure. Wisconsin now rosters eight players as of April 15. Four of those eight were true freshmen a season ago and saw limited playing time in the rotation. While Pingeton's task in transforming Wisconsin's program will take time, her first frontcourt transfer addition was key with both Williams and standout center Carter McCray gone to the portal. The Badgers went 13-17 a season ago, a regression from their 15-17 output and WNIT appearance during the 2023-24 season. The team also went 4-14 in Big Ten play, barely securing a bid to the 2025 Big Ten Tournament. Pingeton's pedigree at Missouri immediately provides UW with an experienced presence on the sidelines. However, the Badgers' new staff has considerable work left as the program faces a top-down rebuild. Uchenna's addition is a strong starting point. Her ability to translate her level of play to a challenging Big Ten Conference remains to be seen, but the potential is clear. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
USA Today
04-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
What stood out from Wisconsin women's basketball coach Robin Pingeton introductory presser
What stood out from Wisconsin women's basketball coach Robin Pingeton introductory presser Wisconsin women's basketball officially introduced the eighth head coach in program history on Tuesday. Two weeks after former head coach Marisa Moseley's departure, Chris McIntosh and the Wisconsin brass hired Robin Pingeton to fill the void on the sidelines. The veteran coach arrives in Madison with decades of experience in the Midwest Collegiate Conference, Missouri Valley Conference, Big 12 Conference and Southeastern Conference. Most recently, Pingeton spent the last 15 seasons with the Missouri Tigers. During her tenure, she posted a 250-218 overall mark with 10 postseason appearances, including four consecutive bids to the NCAA Tournament from 2015-19. Prior to that time, the Iowa native showcased her program-building ability at Illinois State. She morphed the Redbirds' sub-.500 team in 2004-05 into a 28-8 squad by the time she departed after the 2009-10 season. The upside in transforming a struggling program into a perennial postseason performer certainly influenced her hiring. The Badgers needed a boost in morale after finishing 2024-25 with a 13-17 overall record and 4-14 mark in conference play. Outside of Serah Williams, arguably the greatest player in Wisconsin's program history, UW lacked any type of offensive consistency. Pingeton, who boasts a winning history in a hyper-competitive SEC, addressed that in her opening presser on Tuesday. "We want to play up-tempo for sure," Pingeton said. "We want to play early in the shot clock. We want to play in transition. Offensively, we really like positionless basketball where you're really teaching the game and not putting players in a box. You've got to have great footwork, great decision-making. That's a learned skill for a lot of college we want to be really disruptive. We kind of just want to be a pain. We want to keep other teams on their toes, we want to switch up our defense [and] we will also be scouring going to find a team that's going to play really hard." Pingeton also addressed the most pressing matter for those invested in the 2025-26 team -- the transfer portal. As of April 3, the Badgers roster six total players and just one senior - reserve guard Lily Krahn. Wisconsin's entire starting five from the 2024-25 season departed via graduation or the portal. It is now Pingeton's responsibility to rebuild a rotation from scratch. "We're really operating now in a pro-style with the revenue share and the portal" Pingeton said. "Being able to bring in players that have really good game experience, that are more mature, that have played at a high level, it's an opportunity to be really selective. Who fits your style? Who has an uncommon work ethic?... In our portal calls right now, I'm trying to be transparent to a fault... I don't think you settle. I think there [are] non-negotiables. I have a vision, and I'm excited to put Wisconsin women's basketball back on the map." With roughly three weeks remaining until the transfer portal closes, Pingeton is faced with an uphill battle. But, while the program lacks an identity or consistent culture, Wisconsin's cache and history as a member of the Big Ten is inarguably appealing for those looking to become a No. 1 option. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Can Robin Pingeton bring Wisconsin women's basketball back from the wilderness?
Three introductory news conferences from the recent past provided examples of how a new women's basketball coach at Wisconsin attempted to generate enthusiasm. They offered change, linked to previous successes and promised an energetic brand of basketball with an emphasis on in-state recruiting. These examples also demonstrate how difficult it is for the Badgers to turn winning the news conference into winning games. Advertisement Over the past 14 seasons under Kelsey, Tsipis and Moseley, Wisconsin did not produce a season with a winning record. During that stretch, the Badgers went 145-263 overall (.355 winning percentage) and 54-190 in the Big Ten (.221 winning percentage). The last of those games was an 81-54 blowout loss to Iowa in the Big Ten tournament in which the Badgers trailed by double digits for the final three quarters. Moseley resigned four days later. Then came an exodus of six players to the transfer portal, including two-time All-Big Ten forward Serah Williams, second-leading scorer Carter McCray and third-leading scorer Ronnie Porter. All five starters and nine players from the team are gone. That is the challenge Robin Pingeton faces. Pingeton, the former Missouri coach, was announced as Wisconsin's new women's basketball coach last week and held her introductory news conference Tuesday afternoon. Much like her predecessors, she hit all the right notes. She promised 'real, honest, genuine relationships' and a team that would play with energy, passion and togetherness. She described herself as a lifelong learner and tireless worker who will 'lock down the borders if we want to bring women's basketball back to the level of excellence that I know we all want.' And, of course, the phrase 'sleeping giant' was used as well. But what Pingeton said matters far less than what she will be able to do. She faces a massive rebuild with a depleted roster and is fighting against a history that left Wisconsin far behind relative to its Big Ten peers. Advertisement Wisconsin has not qualified for the NCAA Tournament since 2010 under Lisa Stone. In the ensuing 15 seasons — 14 of which held NCAA Tournaments — every other team in the league made it at least twice. Maryland went all 14 times, Iowa 12 times, Ohio State 11, Michigan State and new league member UCLA 10, Michigan nine, Nebraska eight and Purdue and Indiana seven times apiece. Another element Pingeton must overcome is the perception of what her hiring means and whether she can elevate Wisconsin to more inspired play. She had a great four-year run at Missouri from 2015 t0 2019, reaching four consecutive NCAA Tournaments, which the Tigers hadn't accomplished in more than 30 years. But Pingeton struggled during her final six seasons at Missouri, going 79-99 with four losing seasons, including during each of her final two seasons. She announced her resignation on Feb. 26, effective at the end of her 15th season. Wisconsin athletic director Chris McIntosh conducted a national search, and he appeared to recognize some of the pushback by saying Tuesday: 'I'm confident given that with some time, you, too, will see that Coach Pingeton will be a great addition to our organization and that she'll help turn around this program.' He also said the task at hand 'will not be easy.' 'It will require a significant commitment from all of us: from our coaches, from our players, from our administration, from our fans, all of us,' McIntosh said. 'But I believe it can be done. It was important to find someone that understands what it will take for us to achieve those goals. And I believe I found the right person to do that.' Advertisement Other women's team sports at Wisconsin have thrived — something that is consistently referenced when discussing the basketball program. The hockey team won its eighth national championship less than two weeks ago. The volleyball team has been to 12 consecutive NCAA Tournaments and won the national championship in 2021. A big reason for those successes is having the right head coach and standard of excellence. Mark Johnson has been the women's hockey coach since 2002 and led the program for all eight national titles. Kelly Sheffield has been the volleyball coach for each of those 12 straight NCAA Tournaments. Wisconsin's basketball program has been successful before to a degree. Jane Albright, who coached at Wisconsin from 1994 to 2003, guided the Badgers to five NCAA Tournament appearances and won a WNIT championship in 2000. Stone replaced her and went to the NCAA Tournament once and the WNIT four times. Pingeton said she was good friends with both coaches and even spoke to Stone about the Wisconsin job. Pingeton noted she has known Stone for years and that the two have crossed paths many times on the recruiting trail. Stone also played basketball at Iowa with Pingeton's younger sister, Lisa. That story highlighted something Pingeton believes will be an asset at Wisconsin: her experience. Pingeton, 56, has spent 30 seasons as a head coach. She twice led St. Ambrose to the NAIA Division II Elite Eight in the 1990s and reached a pair of NCAA Tournaments with Illinois State before going to Missouri. Wisconsin's three previous head coaches arrived with a combined total of seven seasons of head-coaching experience. Advertisement Kelsey had been an assistant at her alma mater, Stanford, and gone to four consecutive Final Fours but had never been a head coach. Tsipis had four seasons as a head coach at George Washington with back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances. Moseley was a head coach for three seasons at Boston University. Pingeton said she believed Wisconsin would 'get the best version of me.' 'I think experience is the best teacher,' she said. 'And I think as you go through the journey of life, if you've got a mindset that you can learn and grow and adjust and everything that happens to you is in your best interest, I think you've got a chance to really do some special things. I'll be relying on the last 25, 30 years of coaching at all my stops that I think have prepared me for this moment.' Pingeton, who grew up in Atkins, Iowa, said she had her eye on the Wisconsin job dating back to her days at Illinois State, even though she hadn't spent time in Madison before. Something about the university from afar made her believe it could be a special place for her. Some of her coaching friends reminded her of that thought when she accepted the job. McIntosh said Wisconsin intended to invest in women's basketball with 'a seven-figure revenue share' if the House vs. NCAA settlement is approved by a judge next week. That should go a long way toward demonstrating Wisconsin's commitment to success in the sport. Pingeton said she has been working the phones with prospective transfer portal players. Advertisement Assembling a roster and having administrative support are critical, but the hard work is only beginning. 'I have a vision and a passion for what I do,' Pingeton said. 'And I'm excited to put Wisconsin women's basketball back on the map.' This article originally appeared in The Athletic. Wisconsin Badgers, Women's College Basketball 2025 The Athletic Media Company
