Chloe Burdette
Managing Editor
On Tuesday, Jan. 14, Interim Athletic Director Kristyn King announced to The College of Wooster community that Lisa Panapento had decided to step down from her role as the head coach of the Wooster women’s basketball team. King stated, “Lisa Panepento has been a valued member of the College for 16 years, and a valued member of our athletics staff as both an assistant coach and a head coach for 10 of those 16 years. She is passionate about The College of Wooster and our basketball program and her decision to leave was grounded on what she felt was best for the program at this time. We will miss Lisa and wish her well as she navigates next steps for her and her family.”
A College of Wooster alumni, once a star member of the College’s women’s basketball team and track team, Panapento had a significant relationship with The College of Wooster. After graduating from Wooster in 1987, Panapento returned to work in the Admissions office in 2004 for six years before taking the women’s assistant coach position in 2010. Five years later, she reached the status as interim head coach for the team. After almost two decades associated with the College, Panapento’s decision to resign came with a heavy heart.
“Being a two-sport student athlete at Wooster was an absolute honor and had a tremendous positive impact on me,” Panapento said. “The coaches and teammates I had remain life-long friends. I only wanted to ‘give that back’ to current and future Scots.”
Panapento explained that she had one goal in mind when she was part of the coaching staff — to improve the program. The current team now, in her own words, “is a reflection of my desire to have good people, good students and good athletes in the program.” Although the program had made significant progress since she was appointed head coach, Panapento held herself to a much higher standard, not only based on her win-loss record, but as a leader to her players. “It is impossible to describe the standard that most coaches hold themselves to,” she said. “In my mind, we did not win as many games as we could have and should have, and that ultimately falls at the feet of the head coach.”
Panapento made it clear that although her record was not as impressive as she hoped it would be, her overall record was not the reason she resigned. Her resignation stemmed from the impact on the program as a whole due to her record.
“My top priority in coaching has always been my relationship with my players and coaching staff,” she explained. “It became apparent that those relationships were suffering due to our lack of success, and as a coach, it is painfully difficult to coach players who have lost faith in you as a coach. Certainly not all of the players felt that way, but I did not want those who did not feel that way to have to try and manage the situation when it was clear that some people felt very strongly. Sometimes the best thing you can do is also the most painful, but I did not feel that my remaining in my position of head coach would serve any productive purpose, and that by leaving, it gave everyone an opportunity to move forward.”
Although Panapento believes her decision to leave was the best move for the program, she still wishes the best for the team. “I deeply believe in every single player on this team, and I know as a team they can and will be successful moving forward,” she said. “I will always be a Fighting Scot in my heart, and I have nothing but positive thoughts for the team and the program going forward, and I will cheer on every success they have, collectively and individually.”
After King announced Panapento’s resignation, The Wooster Voice reached out to several women’s basketball players and no response was received.
Nicole Marshall will serve as the interim head coach for the remainder of the 2019- 2020 season, and is excited to carry out the season with pride and grit. Prior to her five years as an assistant coach for the Fighting Scots, she was a graduate assistant for the Michigan State University Spartans and helped with recruitment coaching duties and opponent scouting for the team. Although she was appointed interim head coach very suddenly, she believes she has a great team to work with.
“I believe this team has so much potential and has the ability as a whole to do great things,” Marshall said. “They are a great group of girls who bring a lot to the table, and I am very blessed to be able to coach them all.” Most of all, Marshall explained that her team’s willingness to work hard is notable. “The passion and energy they bring is what makes it fun to be the coach of this group,” she said. “They are never satisfied until they achieve greatness.”
Cassidy Wertman, current physical education, athletics and recreation event and operations manager at the College, will serve as the unofficial assistant coach for the rest of the season. Wertman graduated from Ohio Dominican University in 2008, and played varsity basketball all four years of her college career. “I am honored to help out,” Wertman said. “I am very happy for Nicole; she is doing great things for the program and she has a great, hard-working group of girls to lead. I am looking forward to finishing this season strong right by her side.”
Marshall explained that her friendship with Wertman alongside Wertman’s profound knowledge of the game will benefit the team greatly. “Cassidy is my best friend and we will work very well together. She was a guard in college so she brings a lot of footwork knowledge on how to approach different shots and how to get to the basket,” Marshall said.
The College of Wooster women’s basketball team plays their next game against the Denison Big Red in Granville, Ohio on Saturday, Jan. 25. They play their next home game against the Allegheny Gators on Wednesday, Jan. 29.