University of Wisconsin-Parkside women’s basketball coach Jenny Knight-Kenesie, the program’s all-time wins leader and the architect of five NCAA Tournament appearances, announced she will be stepping down effective June 30 to spend more time with her family.
"I would like to thank the Parkside administration for giving me my first opportunity to coach at the collegiate level. I would also like to thank the current and past student-athletes that I have had the honor to coach and mentor. They have made this journey so special and I am forever grateful to all of them," said Knight-Kenesie.
"It is very difficult to walk away from this program but my family is my priority and with a fourth child on the way it is time to step away. I will truly miss coaching these young women but I will be their biggest fan and I will be following them and their success."
Knight-Kenesie has built a regional juggernaut over the past 10 seasons, stepping down with a 195-125 overall record with the Rangers, guiding the squad to five NCAA Tournament appearances, two Sweet 16 appearances and a pair of Great Lakes Valley Conference divisional crowns, winning the North Division in 2010-11 and the East Division in 2011-12. She was the GLVC Coach of the Year during the 2011-12 season while earning Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Women’s College Division 1/2 Coach of the Year accolades in 2012-13 after directing the Rangers to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the third straight season.
Knight-Kenesie posted a 15-12 record in her second season as coach in 2003-04, the Rangers’ first winning campaign since 1987-88 and the first winning season in GLVC play since joining the league in 1995. She continued to set records in 2004-05, guiding UW-Parkside to its first trip to the NCAA Tournament. The Rangers returned to the NCAA Tournament during the 2009-10 season, sparking a run of four consecutive tournament appearances.
In 2010-11 her squad posted a perfect 15-0 record at home, advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time ever while surpassing Wendy Miller as the all-time wins leader with her 137th career victory. The 2010-11 team established a school record with 24 wins, a mark matched by the 2011-12 squad that made a return appearance to the NCAA Sweet 16.
“I am very saddened to be losing a valuable member of our coaching staff,” said Athletic Director Tamie Falk-Day. “Jenny has done a phenomenal job in building the women’s basketball program with hard work, dedication and a strong emphasis on academics. I know how much Jenny’s family means to her and I am excited for her as she gets the opportunity to be a full-time mom. I look forward to seeing her and the family rooting for the Rangers from the stands!”
In her 10 years as head coach she has mentored six all-region players, six First Team All-GLVC selections, two GLVC Freshman of the Year selections and 19 all-conference players. Knight-Kenesie has additionally coached the top five scorers in school history and eight of the program’s 15 1,000-point scorers.
Under her direction the team thrived not only on the court but in the classroom with the 2012-13 squad posting a 3.43 cumulative grade point average for the academic year, the highest grade point average among the Rangers’ 15 sports.
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