Kris Jacobsen, the longest tenured member of the Carroll University athletic department, is resigning from her positions to pursue other opportunities, effective April 22.
For 18 years Jacobsen has been a coach and athletic administrator for the Pioneers. In February she finished her 18th season as the women’s basketball coach, having joined the staff in 1998. In addition to her coaching responsibilities, she was also the athletic department’s Senior Women’s Administrator and Director of Compliance. From 2001-2010, she served as the Director of Athletics and also coached the Pioneer softball team to two Midwest Conference Championships (2000 and 2001).
“Working at Carroll has been a wonderful experience. I have enjoyed working with so many talented student-athletes and staff. I am extremely proud of my successful alumni and all that we were able to accomplish on and off the court. I have thoroughly enjoyed my Carroll family throughout the years,” said Jacobsen. “This has been a very difficult decision for me as I have cherished my time at Carroll. However, I am looking forward to starting a new chapter in my life.”
On the court, Jacobsen established herself as one of the premier NCAA Division III women’s basketball coaches in the country and her program as a year-in and year-out contender for the Midwest Conference Championship. Her Carroll basketball teams amassed a record of 266-173, including a mark of 188-112 in conference play.
Jacobsen’s hoop teams qualified for the four-team Midwest Conference post-season tournament 10 times (1999-2000, 2000-2001, 2001-2002, 2005-2006, 2006-2007, 2007-2008, 2010-2011, 2012-2013, 2013-2014, 2014-2015). Her 2001-2002 team finished the season at 20-5 overall and 15-1 in the MWC, reaching the 20-win plateau for the first time since the 1985-1986 season.
On January 27, 2006, Jacobsen won the 100th game of her Carroll career in a 64-48 victory over Grinnell College. The following season, on November 20, 2007, she became the “winningest” women’s basketball coach in school history in a win over Millikin University, passing the mark of Dan Steffan, who was 132-120 from 1979-1989. On February 8, 2012, Jacobsen recorded her 200th Pioneer victory in an 89-78 win over Ripon College.
Jacobsen’s 2005-2006 squad hoisted the program’s first-ever Midwest Conference Championship and advanced to the second-round of the NCAA Tournament following a 64-57 upset victory over No. 14 Calvin College, giving the Pioneers their first-ever victory in the NCAA Tournament. After the magical run in 2005-2006, Jacobsen was named Midwest Conference and Central Region Coach of the Year. Her 2006-2007 team earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, making it two-consecutive NCAA berths.
“In my short tenure at Carroll, Kris has been a valued source of information, tradition and knowledge based on her long association with Carroll athletics in a variety of positions. She has been an integral part of the growth of Carroll both as a coach and an administrator,” said Joe Baker, Carroll’s Director of Athletics. “We are obviously very sad to see Kris leave but certainly respect her decision to pursue a change.”
A native of Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., Jacobsen starred as an athlete at Lincoln High School and then at the University of Platteville, where she earned a degree in Business Administration. As a prep, she became the first player in Lincoln history to score more than 1,000 career points, and has since been inducted into Lincoln’s Hall of Fame. At Platteville, Jacobsen was a three-time All-WIAC selection and was named the school’s Female Athlete of the Year in 1989. She ended her playing career as Platteville’s all-time leading scorer.
http://gopios.com/news/2016/4/18/womens-basketball-jacobsen-steps-down-after-18-seasons.aspx
Photo Courtesy Carroll Athletics
Tagged with: Carroll University DIII MWC
