Iowa State Pays Tribute to Bill Fennelly After 750th Career Win
Iowa State’s 66-61 victory over Texas on Monday was a big win for the Cyclones, but it was also a big win for Cyclones head coach Bill Fennelly.
It was win No. 750 for the long-time Cyclones coach, and the program paid tribute to him on social media on Tuesday.
Fennelly, a Davenport, Iowa, native, took over the program in 1995 after he led Toledo for seven seasons. With the Rockets, he took them to Mid-American Conference Tournament crowns, three NCAA Tournament appearances and six 20-win seasons.
When Fennelly took over Iowa State women’s basketball, the program had never been to the NCAA Tournament.
After missing the NCAA Tournament in Fennelly’s first season, he took them to the NCAA Tournament each of the next six seasons. From 1999-2001, the Cyclones went to an Elite Eight and two Sweet 16s.
The Cyclones made another Elite Eight appearance in 2009, followed by a Sweet 16 appearance in 2010. The Cyclones returned to the Sweet 16 last season.
In all, the Cyclones have been to 21 NCAA Tournaments and two Women’s NITs.
With the victory, Fennelly also became the 27th coach in NCAA Women’s Basketball history to reach 750 career wins, the 13th to get all 750 at Division I programs and the ninth active coach with at least 750 career victories.
The Cyclones are on the road for their next two games, as they face Baylor this weekend and then swing up to Oklahoma State to face the red-hot Cowgirls next week.
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard
