Fennelly To Hit The Court Running


by Steve Jones

Daven port native Bill Fennelly, head coach at the University 
of Toledo, was named ISU's sixth women's basketball coach in 
June. Fennelly's teams won 75 percent of their games and 
qualified for the NCAA Tournament and the National 
Invitational Tournament three times each in his seven seasons 
in Ohio. 

Fennelly, 38, replaces Theresa Becker, who resigned in May 
after three seasons at Iowa State.

"He's a winner without a shadow of a doubt," athletic 
director Gene Smith said.

Under Fennelly, Toledo finished first or second in the Mid-
American Conference six times. His Rocket teams were 166-53 
(.758)  overall and 94-24 (.800) in the conference. His home 
court record was 84-9 (.903), which included a 31-game 
winning streak. 

Another statistic that caught the attention of ISU officials 
was that more than 90 percent of the Toledo women's 
basketball players graduated. 

"For 20 years I've been a women's basketball coach, and for 
20 years I've dreamed of coming to this school to coach," 
Fennelly said. Location is one of the reasons, he explained. 
Ames is about mid-distance between Davenport and Ruthven, 
hometown of his wife, Deb.

Fennelly said the Cyclones will play an up-tempo, running 
game.

A former assistant at Fresno State and Notre Dame, Fennelly 
has coached women's basketball since 1976, when he was a 
student assistant coach at William Penn College in Oskaloosa.

"Bill Fennelly is one of America's outstanding young 
coaches," President Martin Jischke said. "He brings to Iowa 
State University a spectacular record as an NCAA Division I 
head women's basketball coach and as a teacher and role model 
for young adults."

Fennelly signed a four-year contract for $70,000 annually.

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contact:  Steve Jones, News Service, (515) 294-4778
updated:  7-28-95