Coach Becker Resigns


by Steve Jones

Citing personal and professional reasons, women's basketball 
coach Theresa Becker announced her resignation May 12 after 
three years at Iowa State.

"I feel that I have taken this program as far as I can," 
Becker said. "To get to the next level, the program needs a 
jolt, something different. What I am doing is in the best 
interest of the team."

Becker was an assistant at Nebraska when she was hired in 
1992 to become ISU's fifth women's coach. Her ISU record was 
18-63, but she inherited a program that had only two winning 
seasons in the previous 15 years. 

Becker's first Cyclone team finished 2-25 and played with as 
few as six players by the end of the season. ISU improved to 
8-18 in 1993-94, but with a young team and one of the squad's 
best players on the bench with a medical problem, the 1994-95 
record stayed about the same at 8-20.

At Nebraska, Becker was known as a strong recruiter, 
attracting talented players that led the Cornhuskers to the 
school's first NCAA Tournament bid. Becker brought in nine 
players in her first ISU recruiting class and attracted two 
of Iowa's best prep players a year later, including Jayme 
Olson, the 1995 Big Eight Freshman of the Year.

Becker had one year remaining on her four-year contract.

ISU will conduct a national search to replace Becker.

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contact:  Steve Jones, (515) 294-4778
updated:  5-26-95