Loyola University Chicago head coach Sheryl Swoopes has announced the hiring of Jeanine Wasielewski as an assistant coach. Wasielewski comes to Rogers Park from Metropolitan State in Denver, where she helped the team to the second round of the NCAA Division II Championship last season. In addition to recruiting and scouting duties, Wasielewski will assist in the development of Loyola[apos]s backcourt players.
[quote]I am very excited to welcome Jeanine to our Loyola Rambler family and coaching staff,[quote] said Swoopes. [quote]She not only brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our team but she is also a wonderful person. Coach Waz is full of energy and understands the importance of hard work and sacrifice. She will compliment the rest of our staff very well with her strengths.[quote]
Wasielewski made the jump to the college game last season and was part of a tradition-laden Metro State program that won 21 games and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. All five starters earned all-conference accolades while, defensively, the Roadrunners held teams to an average of 54.4 points per game, a figure that ranked 14th nationally.
Before joining the staff at Metro State, Wasielewski gained coaching experience through three years as an assistant at Colorado Academy and also spent some time at the club level with the Rocky Mountain Rockers and Mile Hi Rockies Basketball Club.
Prior to moving into the coaching profession, she spent nearly 20 years in the business world as a consultant, working for PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP for 11 years before moving to Coors Brewing Company, where she earned the company[apos]s Copper Kettle Leadership Award.
A native of South Bend, Ind., Wasielewski enjoyed a successful collegiate playing career at Northwestern University, helping the Wildcats to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances. Also a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree, she made 96 appearances for NU, racking up 914 points and 367 rebounds.
She graduated from Northwestern in 1991 with a degree in computer science and earned her Master[apos]s in Business Administration from the University of Denver in 2004.
