Interim women’s basketball head coach Ronda Hubbard has announced the addition of current men’s associate head coach Ronnie Ressel to her staff as an associate head coach. Current women’s assistant Jaime Green will not be returning to the Lions’ bench next season.

"I am extremely excited about the opportunity to move over to the Women’s program," Ressel said. "I would like to thank Ronda Hubbard for having confidence in me by bringing me aboard. I have always held Coach Mitts and Coach Hubbard in the highest respect and regard. They have done an incredible job over the last 12 years of molding young women into outstanding student athletes, productive citizens and tremendous role models for so many. I am looking forward to bringing my competitive edge and coaching knowledge to the women’s program and aide in continued success this program has accomplished."

Ressel moves over to the women’s game, but it’s not unfamiliar territory for the coach as he was the head women’s coach at Rend Lake College in Illinois for seven seasons, leading the team to a record of 118-92 while being named the Great Rivers Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 1996. A year later, Ressel led Rend Lake to a GRAC co-championship.

Also during his stint at Rend Lake, he served as assistant softball coach and coordinator of the Rend Lake Fitness Center. Starting in 1997, he served as the Region 24 Women’s Basketball Division I Committee Chairman. Prior to taking over Rend Lake’s women’s program, he served as assistant men’s basketball coach from 1992-95 after serving one season as a student assistant for Lions head coach Robert Corn in 1991-92.

For the past 11 seasons, Ressel has served as an assistant coach for Robert Corn and the Lions’ men. In 11 years with the Lions, Ressel has helped the team to a 204-145 record, including 11-straight appearances in the MIAA Postseason Tournament. The Lions played in the conference tournament title game in 2005 and again in 2011.

For the past three seasons, Ressel has coached the posts for the Lions, including 2012 MIAA Player of the Year Keane Thomann, the second year in a row a Lion had won the award.

Ressel was elevated to the position of Associate Head Coach in 2010-11, and has been instrumental with his help in development of the guards and overall program at Southern. Former Lion Skyler Bowlin was the MIAA’s Player and Defender of the Year in 2011, and was a four-time member of the MIAA’s All-Defensive team. He is the Lions’ all-time leader in three-pointers and ranks fourth all-time in scoring and second in free-throw percentage. He was selected to three different All-American teams, while being named All-Region and the Region Player of the Year. He was also a finalist for National Player of the Year.

Hubbard said there were a number of reasons why she wanted to have Ressel as her associate head coach.

"First and foremost, is the success he has displayed as the associate head coach with the men’s program," she said. "He knows first-hand how tough and rigid the MIAA is and the work ethic it takes to be successful in this league. Coupled with that is his experience on the women’s side before coming to MSSU."

"Coach Ressel has performed all of the duties I was looking for, whether it be recruiting or scouting. Or the fact that he has been the post coach on the men’s side and watching him develop a player like Keane (Thomann) was a clear indicator that he could come in and work with our post players right away. Probably most important to me, is having someone who bleeds green and gold the way I do and is willing to do whatever it takes to take our program to the next level. Coach Ressel and I are ecstatic to take on this Challenge together."

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