It is the start of something new for Wisconsin Women's basketball as Pat Richter, head of the UW Athletic Department, named Lisa Stone as the new head coach. Stone, who just finished her 18th season as a head coach, comes to Wisconsin with a 375-118 (.761 win percentage) collegiate record and finishes a three-season career with Drake in which she took the team to the Sweet 16 in the 2001-2002 season. Before going to Drake in 2000, Stone coached at the UW-Eau Claire.
Stone is a native of Oregon, Wis., and played at the University of Iowa from 1980-1984 as a standout point guard. She holds the record for number of steals in a game with nine. She will be the fifth women's basketball coach in Wisconsin history.
During the interview process, there were four major selection characteristics the Athletic Department was looking for in a head coach: First was impeccable integrity, with a commitment to the players and academics, then a proven track record of community involvement with the ability to inspire and support. Third, proven success at home and in the NCAA was very important and finally, the passion to succeed as the head coach at a Division I program like Wisconsin's.
\Lisa is a proven winner, has impeccable integrity in the areas of academic commitment and compliance and is an enthusiastic promoter of her program,"" Senior Associate Athletic Director Jamie Pollard said.
""We are very pleased and proud to have Lisa Stone leading the fortunes of our women's basketball program and have every confidence that she is the perfect fit for our institution.""
Having been born in the state, this is the realization of a lifelong goal for Lisa Stone.
""I'm extremely thrilled to be at Wisconsin. It's a dream come true for me to be able to come home and bring my family home,"" an emotional Stone said. ""I have bled red and have had a desire to be at Wisconsin my entire life. I'm excited to be part of the Big Ten and to be able to lead this team of talented student-athletes. We'll hit the ground running and take this program as far as it can go.""
Stone's contract will run through five seasons, and if her goals are met, she will have the team playing in March where she feels they belong. With her experience as head coach at the UW-Eau Claire, and then Drake, Stone is accustomed to winning. She sees tremendous potential in her players and will work them, and herself, hard in order to make this a team to watch in the next few seasons-through regular and tournament play.
""Right now there is no one in this room who wants postseason more then those kids sitting right there, they want it bad and so do I,"" Stone said. ""There's potential in them and I'm going to do my best to maximize their potential. Next season starts today.""
Guaranteeing Wisconsin fans a fun team to watch, coach Stone will stress fundamentals, team unity and make recruiting a number one priority. She has set lofty goals for the women's team and does not expect to be disappointed.
""We will work hard, we will improve in the area of fundamentals, we will become a disciplined basketball team and we will compete at the highest level in the Big Ten,"" Stone said.
""I can honestly say that in just meeting her last night she has already earned my respect, I have a lot of respect for her as a person, as a coach and just as it was evident today, she has a lot of passion ... which I believe can help take us where we want to go,"" sophomore forward Ebba Gebisa said.
""I think in the transition from coach to coach there's going to be a lot of changes, a lot of adjustments. But I think that this is a positive adjustment and we'll definitely take our team to another level.\
