RENSSELAER, Ind. - Saint Joseph's College Director of Athletics Bill Massoels has announced the hiring of Jannon Lampley as the new head coach of the SJC women’s basketball program.
Lampley, who possesses a combined 12 years of competitive and coaching experience at the NCAA Division I and professional levels, takes over for Amy Siegel, who posted a 19-35 record in two seasons before resigning in May.
“We are very fortunate to be able to count Jannon as a member of the athletic department family at Saint Joseph’s College,” Massoels said.
“Her background and experience made her a top candidate early in the hiring process, and her knowledge and passion for the game of basketball were evident as soon as she came on campus for her interview. We’re extremely excited to have her in charge of our women’s basketball program.”
Lampley, a native of Urbana, Ohio, was a part of back-to-back state championship teams at Urbana High School, and was named the Ohio Gatorade Player of the Year following her senior season in 1993. She was a four-year letter winner and three-year starter at Purdue University from 1993-97, helping lead the Lady Boilers to three Big Ten Championships and an appearance in the 1994 Final Four.
She was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team in 1994, before earning Second Team All-Big Ten honors in 1996. In 1997, she was a Kodak Second Team All-American and the Big Ten Player of the Year, as well as Purdue’s Athlete of the Year. She finished her collegiate career with
1,662 points, which currently ranks her seventh on Purdue’s all-time scoring list.
Lampley entered the professional ranks with the Columbus (Ohio) Quest of the American Basketball League in the 1997-98 season, then played overseas for teams in France and Poland before a stint with the Orlando Miracle of the WNBA in 2000-01. She played in Spain early in 2002 before returning stateside to play for the Chicago Blaze of the National Women’s Basketball League for the 2002-03 season.
She returned to Purdue from 2003-06 as an assistant coach, during which time the Lady Boilers were a combined 79-20. Purdue won the Big Ten Tournament in 2004 and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament in 2004 and 2005.
Lampley graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Leadership and Supervision from Purdue in 2003, and is pursuing a Master of Business Administration degree from Florida Metropolitan University.
“Saint Joseph’s is a really good place for me to start my head coaching career,” she said. “It has a great history of success in women’s basketball, and I’m looking forward to the challenge of returning the program to a more competitive level. It’s not too far from where I played collegiately, and I still have a great support base from that community. This is an ideal fit for me and my family.”
She inherits a team that finished 2-17 in Great Lakes Valley Conference play and 5-22 overall a year ago. The Lady Pumas have had just one winning season in the last eight years and have not qualified for the GLVC Tournament since 2003.
“I have a great amount of respect for the teams in the GLVC,” Lampley stated. “There are several teams in the conference that have been very competitive on the national level, and that’s what makes a GLVC Championship such a coveted prize. It’s going to be a big challenge for us, but I’m looking forward to it.
“I’ve received an extremely warm welcome from the returning players as well as the newcomers. They’re really anxious to get started during the summer and get their offseason workouts going.”
Lampley believes her extensive playing experience has been one factor in helping her earn the trust of her new team.
“They know I can help them get better,” she said. “If they’re willing to accept the knowledge that I can impart to them, that could translate into better performance on the court. At this point, it’s all in their hands. I’m here as a resource for them.”
Lampley and her husband, Kenneth, were married in January of 2006. They have a one year-old daughter, Jaylah.