Retired Numbers
- Thread starter NenoFone
- Start date
I don't believe there is any actual criteria for getting a women's jersey number up to the Hilton rafters. Personally, I think we are long overdue for SOMEone's jersey to be added to those already there. Stacy Frese, Lindsey Wilson, Tracy Gahan, and Lyndsey Medders should all be in the conversation of those who have been away from the program the longest. More recent options would be Alison Lacey and Kelsey Bolte, but let's get those from a decade or more up there first. There is no reason a name like "Frese" shouldn't be the first considered as an addition.
Angie Welle's was the last one. I would love to see Medders-Fennelly get her jersey retired - I am sure no one will think she gets it because she's the wife of a coach and daughter-in-law of the head coach. She deserves it.
Freese should be first. I don't think Bolte will get it - if she does, she will get it only after Lacey gets it.
Freese should be first. I don't think Bolte will get it - if she does, she will get it only after Lacey gets it.
Argument FOR Kelsey Bolte eventually having her jersey retired: She finished 1st in all-time career games played at ISU with 135; 1st in career free throw percentage with 87.9% (211-240); 3rd all-time in career 3 pointers made with 276; 4th all-time in career field goals attempted with 1356; 4th all-time single-season scoring total with 557 points as a senior; 6th all-time in career points scored with 1639; 6th all-time career field goals made with 576; 7th all-time career 3 point shooting percentage with 40.1% (276-688); 9th all-time career rebounder with 665.
Kelsey also was named to the All-Big 12 Rookie team in '08; was named an All-American Honorable Mention by the WBCA and AP in '11; named All-Big 12 Honorable Mention in '09 and '10; and All-Big 12 1st Team in '11.
While I appreciated Kelsey's contributions, she was a very one dimensional player most of her career as compared to the names already up there. A honored jersey is for the best of the elite. The top two on my list would be Medders and then Frese. No one else really hits that level of contribution IMO.
While Medders was a great player, her teams did not achieve the level of success as some of the others mentioned. In her four years they went to 2 WNIT & 2 NCAA, going 1-2 in the NCAA Tournament. I think team success should also be factored in.
The next one to go up may well be Hallie if she continues to perform at the level she has so far this year. I would compare her to Taylor and Welle in that she was an impact player as a freshman who has improved every year. Bonus points for being a small town Iowa girl!
Only two Cyclones have ever been AP all-american at a level higher than honorable mention: Welle (x2) and Frese. I don't know if Frese will be the next one up there, but she definitely belongs.
Like that should all be on her? We win and lose as a team not as individuals. She is the all time leader in assists although I believe by the time she is done, Moody might take that spot. She is right there with Frese, Wilson and Lacey as the best pg's at ISU.
If this were the case then there are a couple of names up there that might not qualify. My point with Bolte was that for the first three years she was a spot shooter and decent defender. It wasn't until her senior year that she took on a bigger role, started moving and became the consistent threat.
Back to my original question, if there is no criteria for getting your number retired, then how is the decision made? Is it the HC, AD, or some other combination of people. The first few honorees went up pretty quickly after their playing days.
Looks like we're going to have about 60 women's jerseys hanging in the rafters. Might need some extra roof support. My god, men's basketball has been around for 100+ years and how many have been retired? 8? And you guys want 10 women from the last 10 years. Your special tingly feelings "down there" aren't a criterium.
Nobody says he/she wants 10 women from the last 10 years, just who deserves the jersey to be retired.
Here's the data:
Tonya Burns: finished in 85, retired in 85 (I believe; based on this: Tonya Burns-Cohrs | Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame)
Jayme Olson: finished in 98, retired in 04
Megan Taylor: finished in 01, retired in 04
Angie Welle: finished in 02, retired in 10
With as long as it took to retire Welle's jersey, it seems to me that they likely decided to wait longer to fully assess a player's contributions prior to retirement even though she was a no-brainer. I'd expect this kind of wait going forward.
One point of comparison: KSU retired Lehning's jersey during her last home game as a senior.
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