Mary Cofield could have been content staying were she was. She was playing the leading role at St. Ambrose University, a successful NAIA school in Davenport.

While at SAU, Cofield helped her team compile a record of 49-22 and make two trips to the NAIA national tournament, getting to the Sweet 16 as a freshman and the Elite Eight as a sophomore. She was the Midwest Classic Conference co-player of the year as a sophomore winning conference titles both years.

“She could have stayed at St. Ambrose and been a four-time NAIA All-American,” said ISU head coach Bill Fennelly.

Then things changed. Enter Robin Pingeton. Pingeton was Cofield’s head coach at SAU and was hired as an assistant by Fennelly in 2000. Soon after Cofield made the decision to follow Pingeton and transfer to the Division I level. She describes it as a bit of a gamble.

“When you go somewhere when you are one of the top people, and then you come to a top school like ISU it is different. My first year I was watching Megan Taylor and Tracy Gahan and all them play,” Cofield said. “I loved it there [at SAU]. It was never in my mind to transfer. I planned on being there for four years and Coach Pingeton got the job here and the opportunity was there.”

Pingeton doesn’t doubt that Cofield loved her time at SAU, but remembers it little bit differently.

“I remember her freshman year within her first two weeks of classes she was trying to go to the registrar’s office to be able to go back home because she was homesick.”

Since then Cofield has grown up a lot and has made the best of her opportunity.

“That is really rare,” Fennelly said of the transfer. “Usually they are going the other way from Division I down. That is a testament to what you can do if you want to work at it.

“She is not overly tall or quick, but she jumps well and is a better athlete than people give her credit for. The bottom line is she has outworked people to play at this level and you just don’t see those things anymore.”

Fennelly points to this year’s first exhibition game as an example of what Cofield brings to the team. Against Johnson Financial she didn’t score a point but had 12 rebounds and played good defense. “She is a kid that can impact winning and not make a basket,” Fennelly said. “Very few players are like that.”

Cofield, a 6-foot senior and a native of Rockford, Ill., has started all five games this year, averaging 10 points and 5.5 rebounds. She understands her role and has the team above all else.

“The biggest thing that you have to do is go hard and maybe you are not going to be the go-to player,” Cofield said. “Maybe you are that person that gets the rebound or dives on the floor for the ball. That is OK too because as long as the team is successful that is all that matters.”

Senior teammate Holly Bordewyk and some of the other players joke that Cofield was one of the most under-recruited players in intercollegiate sports.

“Just because she ended up at St. Ambrose, and not to dog St. Ambrose, but I think it is an NAIA school and she is way beyond that level,” Bordewyk said. “She has worked her butt off to be a very high-caliber Division I player. The team is always in the forefront and she could care less about her stats.”

Pingeton knows a lot about Cofield after being around her for five years. “She is so coachable — you can get on her, challenge her, and encourage her,” Pingeton said. “It is so fun to have the opportunity to coach players like her. You name it and if it is a good thing she stands for it.”

Cofield hasn’t thought twice about the decision she made.

“I love it here playing at the highest level you can play at,” Cofield said. “I have met a lot of really good people and I wouldn’t trade their friendships for anything. It has been totally worth it.”

Fennelly is grateful she hasn’t thought twice. “Every day she has been here she has given me her best effort. If we had 12 Mary Cofield’s we wouldn’t lose many games.”