Lady Bear legend Jackie Stiles added yet another accolade to her resume Monday when the Missouri Valley Conference named her its all-time greatest player. Stiles and former Missouri State head coach Cheryl Burnett, who was named the MVC’s all-time greatest coach, highlight a list of nine former Missouri State standouts named to the Women’s Basketball All-Centennial team, as selected by Valley fans in conjunction with the conference’s Centennial Celebration.
Stiles, who starred for MSU from 1998-2001, was selected for the honor after finishing as the top vote-getter in on-line fan balloting and in-arena voting for the 35-member All-Centennial team. The all-time leading scorer in NCAA Division I history, Stiles wrapped up her MSU playing career by leading the Lady Bears to the 2001 Final Four in St. Louis and winning the Wade Trophy as the nation’s top Division I women’s basketball player. A three-time consensus All-American and 2006 MVC Hall of Fame inductee, Stiles is the only player in MVC history to earn three conference player of the year honors.
Burnett coached the Lady Bears from 1987 through the 2001-02 season, leading Missouri State to two Final Fours (1992 and 2001) and earning three Gateway/MVC Coach of the Year awards. She guided the Lady Bears to nine conference titles and 10 NCAA Tournament appearances, while compiling a 319-136 overall record, including a 201-65 mark in league play.
Burnett’s 1992 Final Four team included four players who were selected to the All-Centennial squad; Tonya Baucom (1992-93) was a two-time first-team all conference pick who still holds the school record for career field-goal accuracy; Melody Howard (1991-94) received honorable mention All-America recognition twice (1992 and 1994) and was named MVC Player of the Year in 1994; Tina Robbins (1991-94) was a 1994 All-MVC First Team and honorable mention All-America selection; and Secelia Winkfield (1990-93), who was a 1993 honorable mention All-America pick and is the only player in MVC history to earn league MVP and Defensive Player of the Year honors in the same year (1993).
Four more Lady Bear standouts were tabbed for the team; Lisa Davies (1995-98) was a two-time All-MVC First Team selection, a three-time All-Defensive Team pick, as well as the 1998 Defensive Player of the Year; Kari Koch (2003-06) was a four-time All-MVC First Team honoree and the 2004 MVC Player of the Year; Jenni Lingor (2002-05) was a three-time All-MVC First Team pick and the 2005 MVC Player of the Year; and Jeanette Tendai (1983-86), who earned two All-Gateway First Team selections.
With nine overall selections, Missouri State was the most-represented Valley school on the All-Centennial squad. Over 3,500 votes were cast for the team, with all 10 schools having at least one representative on the team.
