ISU women’s basketball head coach Bill Fennelly will be looking for a new associate head coach during the off-season, now that former assistant Robin Pingeton has moved on to a head coaching position.

Pingeton was named the new head coach at Illinois State University on Tuesday.

She replaces Jenny Yopp, who resigned from Illinois State after accumulating a 25-83 record after four years at the helm.

Pingeton has previous head coaching experience. Before coming to Iowa State in May of 2000, she was the head coach at St. Ambrose University. Her team compiled a 194-76 record in her eight years there.

Fennelly said he is proud of Pingeton and wishes her success. She is the fourth assistant of Fennelly’s to move on to a head coaching position.

“Obviously, it’s a great opportunity for coach Pingeton. I know she’s very excited about it,” he said. “We’re very fortunate to have had her here for three years. She did a great job for us, and I know she’ll do a great job at Illinois State.”

Pingeton said her desire for coaching and applying what she has learned are among the reasons for taking the new job.

“I absolutely love working with college-age student-athletes on the court and off the court as well,” Pingeton said at the press conference introducing her as the new coach. “Coach Bill Fennelly has built an incredible tradition at Iowa State and I’ve learned a lot from him over the last three years.”

Pingeton said she is thankful for the opportunity given to her by Fennelly, which will allow her to learn more about coaching than just working on the court.

“Coach Fennelly allowed me to get involved in all aspects of the game,” she said. “I’ll always be grateful for the opportunity he gave me at Iowa State.”

Before her terms at Iowa State and St. Ambrose, Pingeton spent two years as an assistant at Drake, working for her former coach at St. Ambrose, Lisa Bluder.

As associate head coach at Iowa State, Pingeton worked with the team’s post players, including former two-time All-American Angie Welle and current centers Lisa Kriener and Brittany Wilkins. She was also the team’s recruiting coordinator and was in charge of running the Cyclone basketball camps.

Pingeton addressed the players on Monday and told them of her decision to leave.

Erica Junod, the team’s only senior next season, said the team understands why she is leaving, and they support her.

“She informed us that a great opportunity had come around, and she really wanted to get back into head coaching,” Junod said. “It was a very difficult decision for her because of the bond she has made with the team. She has to pursue some of her hopes and dreams that she wants out of her career.”

Junod also said the team is sad to see her go.

“She was such a big part of our program. It’ll be very hard to watch her take another job,” Junod said. “I think we all realize that she’s too good of a coach to be in an assistant’s position, even though we’d love to see her stay.”

Fennelly said he won’t immediately refill Pingeton’s position because he still has loose ends to tie up before moving on to that task.

“We’re going to get through recruiting this week. We’re going to find a really good coach.” he said. “Every coach that’s left here, we’ve replaced them with a good one. I know this program and these kids have a lot to offer.”