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It might be fair to say that nobody knows more about Robin Pingeton's coaching style than Jenny Putnam, who played basketball for Pingeton at St. Ambrose and has been a member of the Illinois State women's basketball staff since 2003. Her familiarity with Pingeton's coaching style and vision has helped the program grow and succeed in her five years at Illinois State. Putnam shares many common experiences both with Redbird players and with coach Pingeton. Like Pingeton, Putnam also excelled in both basketball and softball at St. Ambrose. The 29-year-old native of Moline, Ill., was an NAIA All-American in both basketball and softball ... just like Pingeton. And like the Redbird players she has helped successfully lead during her five seasons in Normal, she played college basketball for Coach P. As a young coach early in her career, Putnam established her own path in coaching and athletics administration. She began her coaching career in 2001 at Bettendorf High School as the freshman girls coach and also served on the staff of the women's basketball program at Marycrest International University in Davenport, Iowa. Putnam was the facilities coordinator for athletics in 2002 at Marycrest International before joining Gene Steinmeyer's women's basketball staff at Northwest Missouri State. Putnam's scouting and film preparation work helped the Bearcats to a 16-12 record--their first winning season in five years. Since coming with Pingeton to Illinois State in 2003, Putnam has helped guide the Redbirds to three postseason appearances, two State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament titles and nearly 100 victories. Putnam was the leading rebounder on Pingeton's final team at St. Ambrose in 1998-99; a team that finished 30-7 and reached the Elite Eight of the NAIA Tournament. She also was a starting outfielder on the softball team. The 1997 graduate of Rock Island's Alleman High School (the same high school of Redbird sophomore Amanda Clifton) was a three-sport standout (basketball, softball and volleyball) and an all-tournament centerfielder as a freshman on Alleman's 1994 IHSA Class `A' State Championship softball team. On Sept. 22, 2006, Putnam was elected into the Alleman High School Hall of Fame. In 2004, she married former St. Ambrose baseball and basketball student-athlete Jim Putnam, now a Bloomington attorney. The couple's first child, Jack, was born Dec. 14, 2006, and they welcomed their second son, Tyler, May 21, 2008. |
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