Jenny Knight-Kenesie returns to the Rangers for her 11th season as head coach in 2012-2013. She quickly moved up in rank after being the team’s top assistant coach during the 2001-2002 season. Knight-Kenesie owns a career record of 174-115 (.602 winning percentage) and has led the Rangers to four NCAA Tournament appearances.
The 2011-2012 campaign saw Knight-Kenesie's squad win the GLVC East Division, posting a 15-3 mark in conference play en route to the team's second consecutive appearance in the NCAA Sweet 16, closing the season with a 24-6 record after falling to eventual national runner-up Ashland.
Three players earned All-GLVC honors in 2011-12, two more earned a spot on the All-Defensive team while Knight-Kenesie was named GLVC Coach of the Year. Additionally Jadee Rooney was honored as an honorable mention All-American selection by the WBCA.
In 2010-2011, Knight-Kenesie led the Rangers to their most successful season in school history, finishing 24-7 and returning the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year and third time in her tenure. The Rangers finished with the league's second-best record in the GLVC at 15-3; the best conference record in school history. They also earned a spot in the national rankings, ascending as high as number 20; the first time in school history ever being ranked nationally. The Rangers also completed a perfect season on its home floor, finishing 15-0 at the DeSimone Gymnasium.
The Rangers earned a three seed in the national tournament and claimed the school's first-ever basketball NCAA Basketball Tournament win. They advanced all the way to the Sweet Sixteen before eventually falling to NCAA Runner-up Michigan Tech on its home floor.
Knight-Kenesie also earned a personal milestone in 2011 when on January 6th against St. Josephs she became the all-time wins leader in school history. In the final NCAA Tournament win against Quincy University she nabbed her 150th win.
The 2010-2011 squad took pride on the defensive end and was ranked 2nd in the GLVC in scoring defense holding opponents to 60.2 points per game with a .378 shooting percentage and .277 three-point shooting percentage. On the offensive end the Rangers finished third in the nation in field goal percentage, establishing a school record by shooting 48.1% for the season. They were also seventh in three-point field goal percentage (38.6%) and once again highly ranked on the boards finishing 17th nationally in rebounding margin (+7.4).
Three Rangers were acknowledged for their season play. Junior guard Jadee Rooney nabbed a first team All-GLVC spot. Rooney was also named to the NCAA Tournament All-Midwest Region Team and Daktronics All-Midwest Region Second Team. Senior forward Brittany Hogen was All-GLVC Third team along with junior forward Brittany Beyer. Beyer, Hogen, and Rooney also joined an elite group, all scoring their 1,000 points in 2010-11. As a point guard herself, Knight-Kenesie also mentored starting point guard Kaitlyn Bettiga who led Division II in assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.79.
In 2009-10, Knight-Kenesie led the Rangers to a 23-8 record and a return to the NCAA Tournament for just the second time ever. The Rangers won the school’s first basketball division championship and advanced to the title game of the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament. Parkside won five games against teams that reached the NCAA Midwest Regional to go with three victories against nationally ranked teams.
The 2009-10 squad was among the nation’s leaders in multiple categories; finishing in the top 36 in the country in nine of the 17 ranked statistical categories. The team was ranked fourth in the nation in field goal percentage (47.7%); the highest percentage in school history. They also finished 11th in the country in rebounding margin (+8.7 rpg); the third time in the last four years they finished in the top 11 in that category. The squad also set school records in free throws made, free throws attempted, and most rebounds in a season.
In 2008-2009, despite fielding one of the youngest squads in the conference she led the Rangers to the second-best season in school history finishing the campaign with an 18-10 overall record. The Rangers put together a school-record 10-game winning streak and finished second in the GLVC Eastern Division with a 14-4 league mark; the best conference winning percentage in program history. She recorded her 100th career win on February 7th, 2009 with a 72-70 overtime win at Kentucky Wesleyan.
The ’08-’09 squad allowed the fewest rebounds per game in the country (28.3) en route to finishing seventh in the nation in rebounding margin (+8.7). The Rangers also finished 18th in the nation in free throw percentage and 26th in team field goal percentage. The team finished second in the GLVC in scoring defense allowing just 62.8 points per game.
This followed a breakthrough year in 2007-2008 when the Rangers got back to the GLVC Tournament while amassing 17 wins, now the third-most in school history. The team recorded four victories over NCAA Tournament teams including a late season, 21-point come-from-behind victory at then division leader, Indianapolis.
The 2007-2008 squad finished among the country’s leaders in free throw percentage (fourth), three-point percentage (14th), and turnovers per game (21st); setting school records in both shooting categories.
In just her third season as head coach, the Rangers posted the best record in school history finishing with a 20-12 record. The Rangers finished third in the Great Lakes Valley Conference which marked the best finish in conference play for UW-Parkside in school history (14-6). The squad earned a bid for the Division II NCAA tournament for the first time in school history.
Knight-Kenesie has coached the top three all-time scorers in UW-Parkside history in Sammy Kromm, Carrie Weir, and Amanda Gibson Kromm led the nation in field goal percentage at .650 for the 2004-05 season. Kenesie has coached six of the top 11 scorers in Parkside history.
The Ranger mentor coached six all-region players, six First Team All-GLVC players, one GLVC Freshman of the Year, and 18 total all-conference players in her 10 years as the head coach for the Rangers. Off the court, Knight-Kenesie’s influence is apparent. The Rangers have amassed a grade point average over a 3.0 during her career with 10 players from the 2011-12 squad earning GLVC All-Academic recognition.
Knight-Kenesie had a storied career as a player, culminating at the University of Louisville, where she was the Cardinals’ starting point guard for three years. Knight-Kenesie ranks second in school history in all-time assists and is among the Conference USA leaders in all-time assists. Knight-Kenesie led the University of Louisville in steals, free throw percentage and assists for two years. She led the Cardinals to a trio of NCAA Division I tournament appearances and was one of the elite guards in Conference USA.
Locally, Knight-Kenesie stared at Kenosha St. Joseph’s High School where she led the Lancers to three state tournament appearances.
Knight-Kenesie was all-conference all four years in the prestigious Metro Conference. Knight-Kenesie also was a two-time Metro Conference Player of the Year and was selected to the all-state team in her last two seasons.
Knight-Kenesie holds a Bachelor of Science in nursing degree from the University of Louisville and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. Knight-Kenesie and her husband, Eric reside in Kenosha with their sons, Eric Jr., (5), Christopher (2) and daughter Grace (born in July 2011).
