Lake Forest College Sports Information
April 16, 2002
Contact: Mike Wajerski, SID

Jackie Slaats Named IBCA Division III Coach of the Year 
Coach earns the honor for the third straight year
  

Jackie Slaats was named IBCA Division III Coach of the Year for the fourth time in her career.
LAKE FOREST, IL - Lake Forest College Head Women's Basketball Coach Jackie Slaats has been named the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Co-Coach of the Year by the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association (IBCA). It marks the third consecutive year that she has been bestowed the honor and the fourth time in her career. She also earned the award in 1992.

This season, Slaats guided the Foresters to a 19-7 overall mark and the program's third straight Midwest Conference Championship and fifth overall. The Foresters also advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive year but were defeated in the first round by eventual champion UW-Stevens Point.

The team's success was particularly impressive due to its lack of experience. Only six players from the 2000-01 squad were on this year's roster. Each win was truly a group effort, as only two players averaged more than 10 points per game and seven different Foresters led the team in scoring at least once.

The IBCA award was the second Coach of the Year honor for Slaats this year. Earlier, she was named the 2001-02 MWC Coach of the Year. She also received both awards following each of the last two seasons. During Slaats's 16-year tenure at Lake Forest, she has guided the Foresters to a 276-96 overall record, good for a 74.2% winning percentage, which ranks her among the top 20 active NCAA Division III women's basketball coaches.

Slaats will be recognized at the IBCA's 30th Annual Hall of Fame Induction Dinner to be held on Saturday, April 27th at Illinois State University.