Lake Forest College Director of Athletics and former women's basketball coach Jackie Slaats will be inducted into the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame on Saturday. The ceremony will take place at the Madison Marriott West in Middleton, Wisconsin, and her family as well as the majority of her assistant coaches will be in attendance.
Slaats, who was previously honored by the WBCA as the 1998 Female Athlete of the Year, will be one of three 2012 inductees in the "College Division" and 21 overall. She will be among just three women in that 40-member division after Saturday's festivities.
Her exploits as a high school player as well as her amazing 22-year run as the Foresters' head coach are highlighted in the following hall of fame biography:
Jackie Slaats was raised in Cuba City, Wisconsin, and was an all-state basketball player at Cuba City High School. During her high school career, the Cuban teams posted a 77-8 record winning three conference titles and the 1980 state championship. She then received a scholarship to Iowa State University where she played four years of basketball for the Cyclones and graduated in 1986 with a bachelor's degree in physical education. In 1992, she earned her master's degree in education from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Slaats's collegiate coaching career began at Lake Forest College in 1986-87 when she was named Forester head basketball and volleyball coach. She directed the volleyball team for six years prior to being named the Director of Athletics in 1992 and coached the basketball team from 1986-2008. After 22 seasons as the College's head women's basketball coach and 16 in her dual role as Director of Athletics and Head Women's Basketball Coach, Slaats resigned from coaching basketball and added the role of Senior Advisor to the President to her Director of Athletics responsibilities on campus – the dual position she holds today.
In 22 seasons at the helm of Forester women's basketball, Slaats not only became the winningest coach in Lake Forest history, but one of the most successful in NCAA Division III women's basketball history. Her teams won 14 or more games in 21 consecutive years and at least 20 in seven of her eleven last seasons. The Foresters claimed Midwest (MWC) conference titles in 1992, 1994, 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2007, finished as league runner-up four more times, and reached the NCAA Tournament five times. The 1993-94 team earned the school's first-ever NCAA post-season tournament bid in basketball, the 2000-01 squad became the first to host an NCAA Tournament game, and the 2006-07 team posted a program best 24-3 overall record, set a school record with 18 consecutive victories, and hosted the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. Slaats finished her Forester coaching career with an impressive overall record of 386-133 (.743), including a 220-71 (.756) mark in MWC league play. Her .743 career winning percentage ranks her among the top 20 coaches in NCAA Division III history.
For her coaching efforts, Slaats was named Coach of the Year by the Midwest Conference in 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, and 2007 and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association Regional Coach of the Year in 2007. For her coaching and administrative accomplishments, Slaats was inducted into the Lake Forest College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008. She was also honored to coach the winner of the 2001 Josten's Trophy, awarded annually to the nation's most outstanding NCAA Division III women's basketball student-athlete, and be named the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Female Athlete of the Year in 1998.
In terms of coaching philosophy, Slaats coached teams were known for their relentless man to man defense and deep squad depth. Her players embraced the concept of WORKING HARD, valued team chemistry and HAVING FUN, and both appreciated and respected WINNING.
Jackie credits the support of her parents Roger and Mary, along with the many coaches she played for and coached with and against, for her success both on and off the basketball court
The WBCA welcomes you into the Basketball Hall of Fame as "college coach".
List of 2012 WBCA Hall of Fame Inductees
Story on WBCA Website
Jackie Slaats Lake Forest College Coaching Bio
Jackie Slaats Forester Athletic Hall of Fame Bio
