ISU’s Cirone named to MVC 25-Year Team

Posted on January 3, 2018
Kristi Cirone
Kristi Cirone is Illinois State’s all-time leader in points, three-point field goals made, three-point field goals attempted, free throws made, free throws attempted, assists and assists per game. (Photo courtesy GoRedbirds.com)

By ISU Sports Information

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Illinois State Hall of Famer Kristi Cirone was selected Tuesday to the women’s basketball MVC 25-Year Team.

Cirone can now add the MVC 25-Year Team to her long list of accolades as an Illinois State alumna. During her time as a Redbird, Cirone led Illinois State to their deepest postseason run in program history, she was a three-time All-MVC, three-time Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year, two-time MVC all-tourney team, third on MVC all-time scoring list and a 2009 All-American.

Her No. 10 jersey was retired by Illinois State in 2010, making her one of three women’s basketball players to have her number in the rafters of Redbird Arena. She is Illinois State’s all-time leader in points (2,139), three-point field goals made (229), three-point field goals attempted (613), free throws made (512), free throws attempted (655), assists (681) and assists per game (5.3)

Following her career at Illinois State, Cirone was named to the final roster for the Conneticut Sun of the WNBA. She was the first Illinois State player and the fourth Missouri Valley Conference player to make a WNBA roster.

Cirone is currently in her sixth season as the Head Coach of the women’s basketball program at Judson University in Elgin, Illinois. She was named as the 2016-17 National Christian College Athletic Association North Central All-Region Coach of the Year and owns a 63-92 record.

To help celebrate the 45th anniversary of Title IX and the 25th anniversary of women’s sports, the Valley is naming 25-Year Anniversary Teams for each of the Valley’s sponsored women’s sports. Team composition for each sport has been determined by a 25-person committee (two representatives from each MVC institution and a panel of five voters from the Conference office). The team composition includes years in which league teams competed under the MVC umbrella during the past 25 years (1992-2017) and does not include competition from the current season.

For women’s basketball, a total of 49 student-athletes were nominated, and the voting panel determined a ‘Top 10’ from a list of 25 finalists.

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