ISU coach Bill Fennelly hates coaching against former colleagues. He will have to get past the feeling he describes as awkward when the Cyclones host Missouri on Saturday at Hilton Coliseum.

Missouri coach Robin Pingeton was an assistant on Fennelly’s staff for three seasons, from 2000 to 2003. She was on the staff when the team won two-straight Big 12 tournament championships in 2000 and 2001.

Fennelly has fond memories of Pingeton being on his staff.

“She’s very hard working, and she loves the game,” Fennelly said. “She’s very committed to her profession and is someone that came here to get division one experience on her resume. She was definitely going to be a head coach.”

Pingeton got her first head coaching job at Illinois State where she went 144-81. Pingeton was named Missouri Valley Conference coach of the year in her first season with the team and won the MVC tournament in her second season. In her final three seasons, she led the Redbirds to three consecutive MVC regular season titles.

Pingeton took over a program in Missouri that starts three seniors and a junior. Missouri has finished last in the Big 12 two of the past three seasons and are poised for an already-improving season with her at the helm to go with the experienced squad.

They have already notched wins against Kansas and Texas. Texas is 7-3 overall and has an identical 2-4 conference record.

“She inherited a team with some older kids and changed her style a little bit,” Fennelly said. “They are very organized, they play really, really hard and are a very physical team.”

Fennelly and Pingeton have kept in regular contact since Pingeton’s departure, and she is someone Fennelly considers a friend. 

One of the things Pingeton consulted with Fennelly about was if he felt that the program at Missouri was a good fit for her. Fennelly agreed that it was, partly due to Pingeton’s ability to keep her assistants with her.

“They were able to hit the ground running,” Fennelly said. “They didn’t have to worry about teaching new coaches how to do things. You can just focus on your team.”