Missouri Southern State University Women's Basketball

Ronnie Ressel was named the head women's basketball coach on March 16, 2017 after serving three years as an assistant and one year as an interim head coach. He will be entering his 10th season as a head coach of the women's program in 2025-26 with a career record of 148-119. Ressel is entering his 22nd season as part of the athletic department at Missouri Southern, having also served as an assistant with both the men's and women's programs. A 1992 graduate of Missouri Southern, he returned to his alma mater for the 2002-03 campaign after spending ten years at Rend Lake College in Ina, Illinois. 2024-25 Season Year Nine featured another strong campaign as the Lions battled through a competitive MIAA slate to finish with a 19-14 overall record and 10-9 mark in conference play. Southern defended home court with a 10-3 record, added six neutral site wins, and advanced to the MIAA Tournament quarterfinals. Ryan Franklin led the way in her sophomore season, earning All-MIAA third team honors after averaging 14.3 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. Kaitlin Hunnicutt added 11.2 points per game with 44 three-pointers to earn All-MIAA honorable mention recognition. Grace Frazier and Kennady Roach were also key contributors, combining for more than 460 points on the year. After the conclusion of the season he now ranks second in career wins with 148. 2023-24 Season Year Eight would bring continued success as the Lions surpassed many preseason expectations, climbing the ranks of the MIAA with eight straight wins, four of which where nationally-ranked opponents, and claimed sole possession of first in the conference. The Lions held an incredible 15 game win streak which spanned over 70 days and held the top spot in the conference for over a month. Ryan Franklin was named the MIAA Freshman of the Year and named a All-MIAA honorable mention after a great start to her collegiate career. Kryslyn Jones was given All-MIAA second team honors after leading the Lions in scoring. Kaitlin Hunnicutt and Brandi Hudson were given All-MIAA honorable mention honors as well for their leadership in the successful season. After the conclusion of the season he now ranks tied for second in career wins with 129. 2022-23 Season Year Seven would see the continued elevation of the program with an MIAA Tournament Championship, the first since 1996, and making the NCAA Regional Tournament championship for the first time since 1994. Ressel became the fourth head coach in program history to win 100 career games, doing so at Lincoln Feb. 2, 2023 while celebrating his birthday as well. After the conclusion of the season he now ranks third in career wins with 109.  Four Lions were named All-MIAA with Lacy Stokes repeating as a first-team selection with Madi Stokes, Layne Skiles and Kryslyn Jones named All-MIAA as well, Lacy and Madi were named to the All-Defensive team. Lacy would go on to be an All-Region and All-American selection again while being named the MIAA Tournament MVP and named to the Central Region All-Tournament team as well. Skiles was also named to the MIAA and Central Region All-Tournament teams with Amaya Johns being named to the MIAA All-Tournament team. The team set 11 records beginning with wins in a season, points scored in a season, three pointers made and attempted, defensive rebounds, blocks, neutral site wins in a season and points scored in each quarter. 2021-22 Season Year six was the best year yet with Ressel being named MIAA Coach of the Year along with Lacy Stokes being named the MIAA Player and Freshman of the Year to become the first in conference history to win both awards in the same season. Madi Stokes and Amaya Johns were also named to the All-MIAA teams as third teamers while Madi and Lacy were named to the All-Defensive team. The Lions had two named to the All-MIAA Tournament team for the first time in school history as Layne Skiles and Lacy Stokes were named. Lacy became the first freshman in program history to be named All-American, becoming the ninth Lion ever to garner such honor and was the first freshman ever in program history to be named All-Region picking up 1st-team All-Central Region by the D2CCA becoming the fifth Lion ever to earn the distinction. The Lions won the regular season crown in the MIAA for the first time in school history and made it to the programs fourth ever appearance in the MIAA Tournament Championship game. The Lions also made a return to the NCAA Regional Tournament for the first time since 1996 and finished going 24-7 and 19-3 in MIAA play while setting team records for most consecutive wins overall (17), consecutive wins in MIAA play (15), wins in MIAA play overall (19) and the 24 wins overall is tied for the third most in a single-season. As a team the Lions set new marks for season three's made and attempted going 221-of-701 and tied the game records for both going 14-of-34 against LIncoln (Dec. 18th). The 2021-22 season saw Madi Stokes become the new career blocks leader and the second Lion ever to register three straight seasons of 30 or more blocks. Madi is the only Lion to ever have 45 or more blocks in consecutive seasons as well. Lacy Stokes set 18 freshman records while also ranking second in assists and assists per game among freshman totals. Layne Skiles moved into the top-ten in career three pointers made and is on pace to set the school record for career appearances next season. 2020-21 Season Year five saw a reduction in games played and an all conference schedule due to the corona virus pandemic,  Carley Turnbull earned All-MIAA third team honors and Madi Stokes had a breakthrough season for the Lions being named All-MIAA honorable mention and being on the All-Defensive team after leading the conference in blocked shots. Madi pieced together a 20 point, 20 rebound performance becoming the third Lion to accomplish the feat and then became the first to ever score 30 points and grab 20 rebounds in a game and tied the single-game record for blocked shots with seven. Madi finished the season with 50 blocks the second most in a single-season at Southern and climbed up to a tie for third in career blocks with 83 already in just 51 games played. As a team the Lions finished the season 9-14 overall and 9-13 in the MIAA, clinching a berth into the MIAA tournament for the fifth straight time under Ressel and the ninth straight year and seven Lions were named onto MIAA Academic Honor Rolls. 2019-20 Season Year four saw Destiny Owens and Chasidee Owens earn All-MIAA Honorable Mention recognitions. The 2019-20 campaign saw Zoey Campbell shatter shot block records. She posted 62 blocks on the season, 20 more than Brianna Volmer's previous record (42 in 2005-06). She now sits in the top spot in the career record list with 113, four more than Caryn Schumaker's previous record (109 in 1987-91). The Lions finished the season 10-18 overall, 7-12 in the MIAA and a berth in the MIAA tournament. 2018-19 Season Year three saw Chelsey Henry and Chasidee Owens both earn All-MIAA honors as Henry was a second-team honoree and Owens picked up honorable mention accolades. Henry finished her career seventh on the MSSU all-time scoring list with 1,296 points after averaging 16 points as a senior. Owens burst on the scene and helped provide a boost down low averaging 11.5 points and 5.9 rebounds.  2017-18 Season In year two, a pair of juniors earned All-MIAA honors as Desirea Buerge was a second-team pick and Chelsey Henry earned Honoable Mention honors. Southern saw an eight-game stretch without a loss in the middle of the season in which the Lions reeled off six wins in conference play, as well as a pair of non-conference wins over the holiday break. The team would also take out perennial MIAA power Emporia State at home as part of a stretch winning nine of ten games. 2016-17 Season In year one at the helm, Ressel helped the team to a 12-17 mark and a trip to the MIAA Tournament. The Lions saw both Desirea Buerge and Deb Holcomb earn All-MIAA status and nine different Lions earned a spot on the MIAA Academic Honor Roll.  Prior MSSU Experience During his three years as an assistant for the women, Ressel helped the team to a 57-27 record and a 38-22 mark in the MIAA. In 2015-16 the team saw two players earn All-MIAA status as Sharese Jones was a first-team selection, while Deb Holcomb was a third-team pick.  Jones also joined the 1,000 point club on Nov. 24, 2015 in a game against Avila and finished her career in fourth place in points with 1,421. She is fifth in career rebounds (651) while achieving the second-best career free throw percentage (.824) and holding a career field goal percentage of .501.  For the four seasons prior to his time with the women, Ressel mentored the posts at Southern including 2012 MIAA Player of the Year, Keane Thomann.  He was elevated to the position of men's Associate Head Coach in 2010-11, and was instrumental with his help in development of the guards and overall program at Southern. Former Lion Skyler Bowlin was the MIAA's Player and Defender of the Year in 2011, and was a four-time member of the MIAA's All-Defensive team. He is the Lions' all-time leader in three-pointers and ranks fourth all-time in scoring and second in free-throw percentage. He was selected to three different All-American teams, while being named All-Region and the Region Player of the Year. He was also a finalist for National Player of the Year.  In 11 years with the Lions, Ressel helped the team to a 204-145 record, including 11-straight appearances in the MIAA Postseason Tournament. The Lions played in the conference tournament title game in 2005 and again in 2011. Rend Lake College At Rend Lake College, Ressel produced a record of 118-92 and was named Great Rivers Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 1996. A year later, Ressel led Rend Lake to a GRAC co-championship. Also during his stint at Rend Lake, he served as assistant softball coach and coordinator of the Rend Lake Fitness Center. Since 1997, he had served as Region 24 Women's Basketball Division I Committee Chairman. Prior to taking over Rend Lake's women's program, he served as assistant men's basketball coach from 1992-95 after serving one season as a student assistant for Lions head coach Robert Corn in 1991-92. Playing Career Ressel enjoyed his share of success throughout his playing and coaching careers. A two-year letterman at Missouri Southern, he averaged 6.7 points, 2.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. He led the Lions in assists in both the 1989-90 and 1990-91 seasons and was awarded the Don Gross Leadership Award following his senior campaign. Personal He and his wife, Pamela, have a son, Kristopher, who has autism and is non-verbal and has competed in three triathlons. All-MIAA selections through the years 2025 Ryan Franklin - 3rd Team All Conference Team Kaitlin Hunnicutt - Honorable Mention All Conference Team 2024 Ryan Franklin - MIAA Freshman of the Year, Honorable Mention Center Kryslyn Jones - 2nd team Guard Kaitlin Hunnicutt - Honorable Mention Guard Brandi Hudson - Honorable Mention Forward 2023 Lacy Stokes - 1st team Guard, All-Defensive Team (Honorable Mention WBCA All-American & 2nd-team D2CCA All-Region) Madi Stokes - Honorable Mention Center, All-Defensive Team Layne Skiles - Honorable Mention Forward Kryslyn Jones - Honorable Mention Guard 2022 Lacy Stokes - Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year, 1st team Guard, All-Defensive Team (Honorable Mention D2CCA All-American & 1st-team D2CCA All-Region) Madi Stokes - 3rd team Center, All-Defensive Team Amaya Johns - 3rd team Forward 2021 Carley Turnbull - 3rd team Forward Madi Stokes - Honorable Mention Center, All-Defensive Team 2020 Destiny Cozart - Honorable Mention Guard Chasidee Owens - Honorable Mention Forward 2019 Chasidee Owens - Honorable Mention Forward Chelsey Henry - 2nd team Guard 2018 Desirea Buerge - 2nd team Forward Chelsey Henry - Honorable Mention Guard 2017 Desirea Buerge - Honorable Mention Forward Deb Holcomb - 2nd team Guard Year Overall MIAA Postseason 2016-17 12-17  7-12 (T-9th) MIAA Tournament 2017-18 11-17 8-11 (T-8th) MIAA Tournament 2018-19 14-16 6-13 (10th) MIAA Tournament 2019-20 10-18 7-12 (9th) MIAA Tournament 2020-21 9-14 9-13 (8th) MIAA Tournament 2021-22 24-7 19-3 (T-1st) MIAA Tournament Championship Appearance NCAA Regional Quarterfinals MIAA Coach of the Year 2022-23 29-7 16-6 (5th) MIAA Tournament Champions NCAA Regional Championship Appearance 2023-24 20-9 16-6 (4th) MIAA Tournament 2024-25 19-14 10-9 MIAA Tournament TOTAL 148-119 98-85 9x MIAA Tournament Appearances 2x MIAA Tournament Championship Appearance 2x NCAA Regional Appearance 1x MIAA Tournament Championship 1x NCAA Regional Championship Appearance 1x MIAA Coach of the Year

Porter joined Missouri Southern prior to the 2021-22 season as an Assistant Coach for the MSSU Women's Basketball team, elevated to Associate Head Coach/Recruiting Coordinator on May 1, 2024. 2023-24 Season The Lions surpassed many preseason expectations as they were selected fifth in the coaches and seventh in the media preseason polls. The Lions began the season with only two returning starters in Kaitlin Hunnicutt and Kryslyn Jones, but quickly found sparks in freshman center Ryan Franklin and senior forward Brandi Hudson. The Lions climbed the ranks of the MIAA with eight straight wins, four of which where nationally-ranked opponents, and claimed sole possession of first in the conference. The Lions held an incredible 15 game win streak which spanned over 70 days and held the top spot in the conference for over a month. Ryan Franklin was named the MIAA Freshman of the Year and named a All-MIAA honorable mention after a great start to her collegiate career. Kryslyn Jones was given All-MIAA second team honors after leading the Lions in scoring. Kaitlin Hunnicutt and Brandi Hudson were given All-MIAA honorable mention honors as well for their leadership in the successful season. 2022-23 Season The 2022-23 season would see a program record 29 wins and the first MIAA Tournament Championship since 1996 and the first NCAA Regional Tournament championship appearance since 1994. Lacy Stokes was a first-team All-MIAA guard along with being on the All-Defensive team and repeated as an All-Region and All-American selection while being named the MIAA Tournament MVP and to the Central Region All-Tournament team. Madi Stokes was named All-MIAA and onto the All-Defensive team for the third year in a row with Kryslyn Jones and Layne Skiles earning All-MIAA honors for the first time. Skiles would be named to the MIAA and Central Region All-Tournament teams with Amaya Johns being named to the MIAA All-Tournament team as well. Southern set 11 team records beginning with wins in a season, points scored in a season, three pointers made and attempted, defensive rebounds, blocks, neutral site wins in a season and points scored in each quarter. The Lions saw Lacy Stokes emerge into one of the premier talents in Division-II after being named MIAA Player and Freshman of the Year becoming the first to win both awards in the same year in conference history. Lacy set 13 freshman records within the program helping lead a team that was picked to finish ninth in preseason polls to winning the first MIAA regular season title in program history. Head coach Ronnie Ressel earned his first ever Coach of the Year honors from the MIAA as well. Madi Stokes and Amaya Johns were also named to the All-MIAA teams as third teamers while Madi and Lacy were named to the All-Defensive team. The Lions had two named to the All-MIAA Tournament team for the first time in school history as Layne Skiles and Lacy Stokes were named. Lacy Stokes also went on to be named 1st-team All-Central Region by D2CCA becoming the first freshman ever in program history and only the fifth Lion ever to garner All-Region honors. Lacy became the first freshman in program history to be named All-American as well, becoming the ninth Lion ever to garner such honor. The Lions won the regular season crown in the MIAA for the first time in school history and made it to the programs fourth ever appearance in the MIAA Tournament Championship game. The Lions also made a return to the NCAA Regional Tournament for the first time since 1996 and finished going 24-7 and 19-3 in MIAA play while setting team records for most consecutive wins overall (17), consecutive wins in MIAA play (15), wins in MIAA play overall (19) and the 24 wins overall is tied for the third most in a single-season. As a team the Lions set new marks for season three's made and attempted going 221-of-701 and tied the game records for both going 14-of-34 against LIncoln (Dec. 18th). 2021-22 Season The 2021-22 season saw Madi Stokes become the new career blocks leader and the second Lion ever to register three straight seasons of 30 or more blocks. Madi is the only Lion to ever have 45 or more blocks in consecutive seasons as well. Lacy Stokes set new freshman records in points scored in a season, single-game, points per game, games scoring 20 or more, games scoring 30 or more, steals, steals per game and assist-turnover ratio while ranking second in assists and assists per game among freshman totals. Layne Skiles moved into the top-ten in career three point shooting and will set the school record for games played next season.  Porter comes to the Lions after four years at Tyler Junior College where he helped lead the team to an 97-39 record and three-straight National Tournament Appearances. The Apaches reached the Sweet 16 in 2018-19 and the Elite Eight in 2020-21. The team won the Region 14 Championship in 18-19.  Porter coached the National Junior College Player of the Year, as well as a Region Player of the Year and two Region Freshmen of the Year, while mentoring 11 All-Conference Players.  Prior to Tyler, Porter was on the staff at Incarnate Word where he worked for three seasons, serving as the head of player development and junior college recruitment while the team transitioned from Division II to Division I.  A 2011 graduate of Missouri Valley College, Porter was an All-Conference selection as a senior. He earned a degree in exercise science from MVC. Porter is a native of Red Bud, Illinois and also earned an associates degree from Southwestern Illinois College where he was a starter for a nationally-ranked team in both seasons. 

Rebekah (Becky) Wendland enters her first season as Assistant Coach of the Missouri Southern Women's Basketball team in 2025-26.  Most recently, Wendland spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato, Minnesota.  The Vikings posted an overall record of 11-15 in 2024-25 and went on to a 10-4 mark in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC). Bethany advanced to the UMAC Tournament for the first time in three seasons. Wendland coached three UMAC All-Conference award recipients that season including UMAC Rookie of the Year Arinn McGee. In 2023-24, Bethany notched a 7-18 overall record and 7-7 mark in the UMAC with a trio of UMAC All-Conference performers. Wendland also has coaching experience with the grassroots AAU program, Minnesota Rise.  Prior to Bethany, Wendland served as the head coach at Sherwood Cass R-VIII, leading the Lady Marksmen to their first 19-win season since 2010. She was previously on staff as an assistant coach at Derby High School and helped the team to a Class 6A State Runner-Up finish in 2022.  A 2019 graduate of Emporia State University, Wendland earned a degree in Secondary Social Science education and completed her MS of Educational Administration from ESU in 2021.  Wendland is a native of Yates Center, Kansas.