Newly appointed head coach Kelly McNiff has announced the addition of Marc Heidorf and Jeff Pustina to the University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s women’s basketball staff. The two coaches bring a combined 45-plus years coaching experience to the program.
Heidorf joins the Pioneers after serving as athletic director and head women’s basketball coach at Mount Mary University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin since 2013. Under his direction, the 2018-19 Blue Angels squad set a program record for wins in a season as well as combined for a 3.35 cumulative team GPA. Prior to Mount Mary, Heidorf led the University of Main-Presque Isle women’s basketball team for two seasons.
“It has been my goal to coach women’s basketball in the WIAC since I began down this road over 20 years ago,” said Heidorf. “To be able to come to Platteville, a place with such rich basketball tradition and work with Coach McNiff, who I have known since our days at UW Oshkosh is just about the best scenario I could conceive.”
Heidorf’s collegiate coaching career kicked off at UW Oshkosh when he served as assistant coach to the Titans where McNiff was competing in her sophomore year with the women’s basketball program.
Making the trek ten miles north, UW-Platteville Hall of Fame member, Coach Pustina joins the Pioneers staff after an illustrious 32-year coaching career as head girl’s basketball coach of the Cuba City Cubans in Cuba City, Wisconsin.
“I’m excited to accept the assistant women’s basketball position at UW-Platteville,” said Pustina. “I would like to thank Coach McNiff and UW-Platteville for the opportunity and I look forward to my new role building positive relationships and helping guide the Pioneers to the next level.”
Under Pustina’s leadership, the Cubans secured nine state championships, which included back-to-back Division 4 championships in 2014 and 2015. The UW-Platteville graduate closed out his coaching career with the Cubans sitting third in Wisconsin girl’s basketball state history for wins with 662 and finished with a stunning win percentage of .826 (662-139).
When asked about the additions to her staff McNiff said, “I am extremely excited to announce the additions of Coach Heidorf and Coach Pustina to our program. Marc brings ten years of collegiate head coaching experience and his ability to recruit and develop talent at this level is a key benefit for our program. His knowledge and passion for Division III women’s basketball is evident and I cannot wait to work side-by-side with him.”
Mcniff went on to share, “I also cannot wait to work with one of the state’s most successful high school coaches. Jeff is a proven winner; you do not win 662 games and nine state titles by accident. He will up the expectations and intensity level of our entire program the minute he steps on campus. His connections in the high school coaching world, especially in Southwestern Wisconsin, will be extremely beneficial as we continue to build and develop into a consistent contender in the WIAC.”
https://www.letsgopioneers.com/sports/wbkb/2019-20/releases/20190828trhwj8
