Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) has announced the hiring of Jillian Flores as the new head coach for women’s basketball. Flores comes to OLLU after an assistant coach position at Iowa Western College in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Athletic Director Shane Hurley commented, “We are excited to have Jillian Flores. Her experience in recruiting and coaching at a top two-year program will benefit the current and future players. That experience comes off a very high caliber as a former player and now coach. OLLU women’s basketball has consistently been performing in the national spotlight, and I look forward to seeing Coach Flores put her vision into motion at OLLU.”
While at Iowa Western, under Head Coach Lindsey Vande Hoef, Flores assisted the team in accumulating a 23-9 record, plus a Region XI Championship and a berth in the District K Championships in 2018-2019. Eleven players were named to the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) All-Academic Team, while six were honored with National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) All-Academic recognition. Her teams had a 100-percent graduation rate.
In 2019-2020, the Reivers had an overall record of 19-10, and Flores guided several players to NJCAA All-American and ICCAC recognition. She helped moved seven players to four-year institutions and guided the team to a 100-percent graduation rate and a 3.42 GPA.
This past season, the team marked a 22-3 record, were Region XI Champions and Central District Champions and qualified for the national tournament. The team was 15th in the nation for assists per game, and several of her players were in the top five and top 10 in field-goal percentage. Two earned All-American status, and five were named to the All-Region Team. The team also had a 100-percent graduation rate and accumulated a 3.5 GPA.
Before her three years at Iowa Western, Flores was the assistant coach at NAIA’s Bellevue University in Bellevue, Neb. For two years, she was a coach at Peru State College in Peru, Neb. While at Peru, also an NAIA school, Flores implemented various fundraising endeavors and was responsible for budget tracking.
“It’s an honor to be named the next women’s basketball head coach at Our Lady of the Lake University. I am thrilled to be joining an institution with such a rich history and a women’s basketball program with a known tradition of winning. I am extremely grateful to Athletic Director Shane Hurley for his belief in me to lead this program forward and also grateful to follow in the footsteps of Coach Stacy Stephens.
“I am beyond excited to begin my career as a head coach at a Hispanic-serving Institute that is known for its strong community and ability to foster growth for its diverse student population,” Flores commented. “My Hispanic heritage is something I am extremely proud of, so to begin my career at OLLU is a dream come true.
“My philosophy as a coach is simple; I want my teams to compete and win at the highest level while also developing off the court and in the classroom. My goal is to win and to prepare our players for life. I bring a lot of passion to the gym every day, and I am excited to share that passion with the current women on our roster. These team members have already impressed me with their maturity and desire to get to work. I look forward to the year ahead with my Saints family!”
Flores received a Master of Science in Organizational Management from Chadron State College in Chadron, Neb., and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Criminology from Benedectine College in Atchison, Kan., where she played basketball and was a two-time scholar-athlete. She also received an Associate of Arts from Iowa Western. Flores played basketball there, was the team’s captain and twice earned Academic All-American, All-Regional Academic and Dean’s List honors. She recently married Jarrod Bennett, and the two will reside in San Antonio.
The Saints enter their 13th season in 2021-2022. They earned spots in the postseason every year except last year when the team opted out to compete in the postseason due to COVID-19 concerns. The women have captured seven regular-season titles in the Red River Athletic Conference, plus three tournament championships. The Saints have made nine trips to the NAIA National Championship Tournament, ending with four first-round and three Sweet 16 round finishes. The women made it all the way to the Fab Four round in 2018-2019 – marking the university’s best-ever finish for a team in history. In 2019-2020, after a 26-6 overall and 17-1 conference record, the Saints were on their way to the national tournament when COVID-19 precipitated its cancelation.
This upcoming season begins in Oklahoma in late October. The women play Southwestern Assemblies of God University on Nov. 6 for their first home game. Flores joins Assistant Coach Tommy Turgeon, who joined the team in August 2020.
