Just one year removed from being honored as Big Ten coach of the year, Wisconsin women's basketball head coach Lisa Stone was fired Monday.
""I am appreciative of the hard work Lisa has put into being our women's basketball coach the past eight seasons,"" UW athletic director Barry Alvarez said. ""She is a good person and has been a loyal and enthusiastic representative of our athletic department and university.""
A 62-59 loss Sunday to Illinois State in the second round of the WNIT capped a disappointing season in which the Badgers finished just one game over .500, at 16-15.
The season followed a 2009-'10 campaign in which the program went 21-11 and made its first NCAA appearance in seven years.
Although Wisconsin bowed out early with a first-round loss to Vermont, the Badgers had high expectations coming in to this season after losing just one starter.
Unfortunately Stone failed to lead her team back to those same heights this year.
""On the court our women's basketball program has not reached and maintained the level of success I believe is possible,"" Alvarez said.
Stone, who has 26 years of coaching experience in the NCAA, finishes her eight-year career at Wisconsin with a 128- 119 record.
In her best year at the helm of the program, the former Iowa basketball standout led the Badgers to a 23-13 season in 2006-'07, where Wisconsin fell to Wyoming in the WNIT championship game.
""This program has meant the world to me, and I have put my heart and soul into it,"" Stone said. ""It has been an honor to be the head coach for the Wisconsin Badgers.""
Alvarez said the search for a new head coach will begin immediately. That next coach will have their hands full with a much different roster next season.
With three starters from this year's team graduating, next year's Badgers will definitely have a new look.
