Quesenberry tapped as UIS women’s basketball coach

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Summer Quesenberry is the new head coach on the campus of the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS).

A press release from the UIS Athletics Department and the Great Lakes Valley Conference last week confirmed the hire as head coach of the Prairie Stars’ women’s basketball team.

Quesenberry has been a collegiate head coach for nine seasons.

“I am ecstatic for the opportunity to join the University of Illinois Springfield and to lead the Prairie Stars women’s basketball program,” said Quesenberry.

She offered thanks to Athletic Director Laura Liesman and the search committee for the opportunity

“UIS is dedicated to providing an exceptional experience for student-athletes to thrive and flourish,” Quesenberry adds. “Succeeding on the court, in the classroom, and within the community while developing the skills necessary for lifelong learning. I am proud to be associated with an institution that embodies the development of values, establishment of culture, and merits achievement that reaches far beyond the confines of the court.”

“Her enthusiasm and drive to not only lead our women’s basketball program on the court, but also to instill meaningful experiences for the student-athletes to be successful people was evident,” said Liesman. “I look forward to having Summer join our Prairie Star team.”

Coaching resume of Summer Quesenberry

Quesenberry heads to Springfield after turning around a Division II program at Alderson Broaddus. In both seasons, she would combine for a 20-25 record, advancing to the Mountain East Conference Tournament. The team would advance to the conference championship quarterfinals in 2021. The 2021-22 team finished 13-14 overall and 10-12 in conference action, marking its best record in 14 years for the team and 24 years in conference action.

Prior to coaching, she was a member of the Ohio Wesleyan women’s basketball team from 2006 to 2008, appearing in 37 games for the Battling Bishops.

During the 2008-09 season, Quesenberry had an interim head coach role at Vassar.

In 2012, she got the nod to coach at Brescia. Across four seasons, she won 53 games until she left in 2016. She took over the program at Lourdes, securing program records for most wins and conference wins.

Prior to coaching at Alderson Broaddus, she coached one season at Urbana University, coaching the men’s basketball program. It set its own program records for most conference wins in a season and would appear in the conference tournament for the first time.

UIS’s women’s program is coming off its best season in 2021-22, going 17-11 overall and finishing sixth in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. They secured its first tournament victory in the first round over Missouri S&T.

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