Robin Pingeton, who led Missouri to 10 postseason appearances – including four NCAA Tournaments – over the past 15 seasons, has been hired to lead the Wisconsin women’s basketball program, UW Director of Athletics Chris McIntosh announced.
Pingeton, a Naismith Coach of the Year semifinalist in both 2017 and 2018, is one of just 14 “Power Four” conference coaches with more than 500 career victories.
“I am extremely pleased that Robin will be joining the Wisconsin Athletics family,” McIntosh said. “She has accomplished so much as a coach and has produced winners both on the court and in the classroom. Robin has Midwest roots and coaching experience and she and her family will fit right into our local community as well as our state. I am thrilled to welcome Robin, her husband, Rich, and their two sons to Wisconsin.”
Pingeton has compiled 585 wins during her 30-year head coaching career. Her teams have played in the postseason 20 times and she has coached 45 all-conference players, nine All-Americans, seven academic All-Americans and five conference players of the year. She has guided three teams to regular-season conference titles, two postseason conference tournament crowns and been named conference coach of the year three times.
“I am excited to get to Madison and get to work,” Pingeton said. “Relationships are very important to me. I appreciate the time I spent with Chris McIntosh and Marcus Sedberry and I can tell my value system aligns with the people at Wisconsin. I learned a lot in almost 15 years in the Southeastern Conference and I am ready to apply that in Madison while also evolving with the changing landscape in college athletics. There is a rich tradition of athletics success at Wisconsin and I can’t wait to get started!”
Pingeton directed Missouri’s program from 2010-25 and led the Tigers to a 250-218 record, including five 20-win seasons. Under Pingeton’s direction, the Tigers recorded 30 wins over top-25 opponents and seven over top-10 foes, including an upset of top-ranked South Carolina in 2021. Among Pingeton’s players at Missouri were WNBA draft picks Sophie Cunningham, Bri Kulas and Christine Flores. Pingeton signed the No. 11 class in the nation in 2019. Off the court, Pingeton developed two SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year award winners, 97 Academic Honor Roll members and 12 Community Service Team selections.
Prior to Missouri, Pingeton spent seven seasons as head coach at Illinois State where she guided the Redbirds to a 144-81 (.640) record, including three straight Missouri Valley Conference regular-season titles, two conference tournament championships, four consecutive 20-win seasons, two NCAA Tournament berths and three WNIT appearances.
Pingeton spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Iowa State (2000-03) after starting her career as head coach at her alma mater, St. Ambrose, in 1992. In eight seasons, the Bees qualified for five NAIA Tournaments, including Elite Eight berths in 1996 and 2000.
Pingeton is a 1990 graduate of St. Ambrose and stands as the school’s career scoring leader with 2,502 points. She earned All-America honors in basketball and softball and played three seasons of professional basketball in the Women’s Basketball Association.
