CARDINAL STRITCH UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

Milwaukee, Wis. – Cardinal Stritch University women’s basketball head coach, Rich Panella, has led the Wolves to yet another incredible season, dropping only two of 30 games on the year. Winning is nothing new for Panella, who has a career winning percentage of over 80 percent in 23 seasons at Stritch. The Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year award marks the 17th time that Panella has been recognized as the top of his coaching class.

This season Coach Panella led the Wolves to an undefeated conference season and a 28-2 overall record. After claiming the regular season CCAC Championship the Wolves sailed through the tournament to clinch a spot in the NAIA National Tournament where they will look to make waves, ranked No. 16 in the national polls.

The regular season CCAC championship is Coach Panella’s 12th and the tournament championship, his 9th. This year marks the seventh time he has led Stritch to an undefeated conference season in the CCAC. Panella will look to make his 14th trip to the NAIA National Tournament his most successful yet, as he leads the Wolves to the national stage with a 16-game win streak, the longest current streak in the NAIA.

Panella has coached the women’s basketball team at Stritch for 23 years, making it the most successful of the Wolves’ athletic programs. He ensures the continuation of the winning tradition by recruiting strong players and finding a way to get the best out of each of them. Coach Panella and his dedicated staff do things the right way, and because of that, the CCAC recognizes him as Coach of the Year for the 2009-10 season.