2008 Woodie Awards
Presnell wins WAC coaching honor
Jake Garcin
Issue date: 3/8/07 Section: Sports
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“I think it’s obviously affirmation from your peers that you’ve done OK - you’ve done a good job,” Presnell said. “But it’s a team award. Coaches don’t make a basket. Players try to buy into a system and they make the baskets. Without question it’s a team award and I’m just fortunate to be the one that’s sitting here.”
The award comes in the wake of one of the best seasons in the history of BSU women’s basketball. The Broncos finished the year 21-8, 12-4 in WAC play and tied with Louisiana Tech for first place in the final conference standings. The women never sat below a tie for first place all season long and held sole possession of the top spot for most of the season.
“I think you can accomplish a lot if you’re unselfish and you don’t mind the other person getting credit,” Presnell said. “I think our girls have done that this year. They have played really unselfishly. They have stayed in their limitations. We haven’t had too many people trying to do too much stuff.
They’ve been very respectful of each other’s personalities. They’re a real tight-knit group. Chemistry goes a long way.”
Presnell is finishing his second season in charge of the women’s program. He came to Boise from Seattle Pacific University, where he had coached for 18 successful seasons.
While at SPU Presnell tallied a 396-127 record and earned 13 Coach of the Year Awards. Eight of those honors were for Conference Coach of the Year.
“We had pressure there [Seattle Pacific] where there was a constant ‘you’re supposed to do this,’” Presnell said. “Our kids are finally getting to the point where now people are going ‘you’re supposed to win this.’ It’s a new pressure for our kids. That part’s been fun.”
Within two seasons at BSU Presnell has accumulated a 36-23 record and a .638 winning percentage. During his tenure at SPU Presnell enjoyed a winning percentage of .757 and an average of 22 wins per season. The Falcons won six conference championships under Presnell and made Division II post-season tournament appearances 13 times.
This season Presnell received a big load of support from All-WAC performers Jessica Thompson and Michelle Hessing.
The duo became the first players to be named to the WAC first or second teams since the school joined the conference in 2001.
Thompson was named to the All-WAC First Team after averaging 13.8 points per game including 19 games with double-digit scoring efforts. Hessing was named to the All-WAC Second Team for her 11.6 points, 5.1 rebounds per game production this season.
Despite the consistent play of both players all season the Broncos were in danger of failing to win the first WAC regular season championship under Presnell after dropping three games on the road in a two-week span. The women managed to hold off Fresno State and Hawaii at home, however, securing the program’s first WAC championship.
“I think the one thing we did was we didn’t have a pity party and we didn’t feel sorry for ourselves,” Presnell said. “We could have moped around. I don’t think anyone really said much about it. We just kept trying to win the next game. We hit a low and struggled but when the kids came back we were ready to go. They were accepted in open arms, won the last two games and got to cut down the nets.”
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