Women's Basketball Adds Two to Coaching Staff
4/20/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
April 20, 2001
Columbia, Mo. - The University of Missouri women's basketball program has added two coaches to its staff, as announced today by Head Coach Cindy Stein.
Joining Stein on the bench next year will be Associate Head Coach Betsy Yonkman and Assistant Coach Tanya Warren. Yonkman comes to Missouri from Rutgers University, where she spent six seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, and helped lead the Scarlet Knights to the 2000 Final Four. Warren, who will serve as MU's recruiting coordinator, has been an assistant coach for the past six seasons at Northern Iowa, where she helped guide the Panthers to a WNIT berth last season.
"This is a great day for Missouri Women's Basketball," said Stein, who led MU to a 22-10 record in 2000-01 and a Sweet 16 appearance. "To have an opportunity to hire such qualified and superb people is a thrill. Betsy and Tanya will definitely make their marks here and I can't wait to get the ball rolling with both of them. We look forward to capitalizing on this year's success with these two go-getters," she said.
Yonkman, a native of Kaleva, Mich., began her coaching career as an assistant coach for Traverse City (Mich.) High School for one season (1986-87), and moved to Eastern Michigan for four seasons (1987-91), where she earned a master's degree in physical education in 1989. She then coached at Central Michigan, her alma mater, for three seasons (1992-95), before joining Rutgers for the 1995-96 season. Yonkman was part of a Scarlet Knight program that has earned NCAA Tournament bids each of the last four seasons, and has become a fixture in the top-25. Rutgers went a combined 100-32 in those four seasons, and reached the Final Four in 2000, the Elite Eight in 1999, and the Sweet 16 in 1998.
Yonkman's duties will include recruiting, player development, scheduling, public relations and assisting with the day-to-day operations of the basketball program.
A 1986 graduate of Central Michigan University, Yonkman, was a standout both athletically and academically at CMU. She was honored as Women's College Player of the Year by the state of Michigan Basketball Advisory Council in her final year, was named a Mid-American Conference Female Scholar Athlete and was awarded a prestigious NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship. Yonkman, 37, led the Chippewas to two conference championships and two NCAA Tournament appearances in 1983 and 1984. She was a two-time all-MAC selection and ranks among the top-10 in the CMU career records in scoring, assists, free throws, steals and rebounds.
"I am extremely proud and excited to be given the opportunity to join the women's basketball program at the University of Missouri as the associate head coach and continue to build upon the outstanding success Coach Cindy Stein and the Mizzou Tigers have achieved in only three short years," said Yonkman. "As a strong foundation has been laid, I am committed to and share in Coach Stein's and the athletic department's vision in building the University of Missouri women's basketball program into a national powerhouse," she said.
"I am very excited about working with Betsy," said Stein. "She is an incredible recruiter, teacher, coach and more importantly, a great person. Betsy possesses an ability to communicate, motivate and inspire student-athletes. Perfect examples of this are her outstanding contributions in helping Rutgers become a top-25 program and their great success in multiple top-five national recruiting classes," she said.
Warren, a Des Moines, Iowa native, has spent seven years as an assistant coach at the Division I level. She began her coaching career at Boys Town High School in Omaha, Neb., where she was the head coach for three seasons (1989-92), before moving to Omaha Duchesne High School, where she served as head coach for two years (1992-94). Warren jumped to the collegiate ranks next, as she was an assistant coach at Iowa State for one season (1994-95), before moving to Northern Iowa, where the Panthers earned their first-ever post-season bid (2001 WNIT) since joining Division I.
Warren's main duties at UNI included scouting, coaching perimeter players and camps. She also took over last season as the team's recruiting coordinator. She coached UNI perimeter players Katie Miller and Allison Starr Missouri Valley Conference honors. Warren was a star player at Creighton University (1984-88), where she earned Kodak All-District and pre-season All-American honors. She ranks among the school's top-10 in virtually every category, and averaged 16 points, 6.6 assists and 2.0 steals in her four-year career as a Lady Jay. Following her graduation (degree in Social Work with a minor in Psychology), Warren's number was retired, and she was inducted into the Creighton Hall of Fame.
"I am very excited to be a part of Missouri Women's Basketball," said Warren. "The opportunity to be involved with a program of this caliber doesn't come around very often. What Coach Stein and her staff have been able to do with this program in three years is phenomenal. She is, without doubt, one of the best young coaches in the country, and I am honored to have the opportunity to learn from her. I look forward to helping Missouri continue its climb to national prominence. I feel truly blessed," she said.
"I am thrilled to have this opportunity to work with such an outstanding young woman," said Stein. "Tanya is a `people person,' and has an innate ability to connect with people and develop outstanding relationships. She is a proven recruiter, coach and leader. Tanya has been instrumental in the success and rise of the UNI program. Her Midwest ties will benefit us in our recruiting efforts," she said.
