St. Ambrose Legends Retire - St. Ambrose University

Tasha McDowell ’98
Head Coach, Western Michigan University 2008–12
Assistant Coach, St. Ambrose University 1997
Duax, Dave Day and Ken Buckles had solid success
prior to Bluder’s arrival in ’84, but the program truly
found legs with her on the bench and Becker on the
floor.
“Give a ton of credit to Lisa and to that administration
when she was there,” Pingeton said. “She had to pave a
new way of thinking. I think she brought that mindset
of what it took to be successful in that program. That
opened the door for me. And from there, it opened the
door for Tasha.”
Bluder said the support of Rogalski, Fox and then Vice
President of Finance Ed Henkhaus ‘64 allowed her to
create an attractive program for recruits via road trips
to California and Florida, and games vs. big-school opponents
like Notre Dame, Iowa State and Bradley.
“I think St. Ambrose let us out of the box a little bit and
let us try different things to be successful,” Bluder said.
Rogalski said Bluder and her successors helped themselves
by recruiting smart players who could supplement
partial grants with academic scholarship money.
Players also engaged in fundraising. And alumni benefactors
helped with the beefed-up travel budgets as well,
Rogalski said.
Rogalski, though, said that putting women’s sports on
the same level as men’s was important at St. Ambrose
and said that meant going beyond federally mandated
Title IX funding. “We wanted to make a commitment
that was not just the routine one,” he said.
Bluder and Pingeton said support at St. Ambrose went
beyond the bottom line, citing a team/family approach
that included the help of current men’s coach and
athletic director Ray Shovlain ’79, ’82 MBA and countless
others like Don “Duke” Schneider ’76, who televised
games and coaches shows on SAUtv.
“That wasn’t happening at that level then,” Pingeton said.
“I don’t know if it happens now at that level, to be honest
with you.
“It’s amazing how a place like that can have such a huge
impact on your life,’’ Pingeton added. “There were so many
people there who were willing to put their arms around us,
help guide us, mold us, lead us and mentor us. Those are the
kind of people that are at St. Ambrose. They allow you to
spread your wings and be successful.”
Pingeton said key lessons were learned from wearing so
many different hats while commanding a small college program.
“You’re the equipment manager, you wash uniforms,
there’s no task that is beneath you,” she said. “You really
have to roll up your sleeves and do everything.”
McDowell said one thing she learned in her two years with
the program is that SAU coaches do everything the right way.
“It was a school and a program of integrity,” she said, “and
I try to run my program that same way.”
Pingeton agreed, noting her central mission as a coach
today is the same as it was for her first game as the queen
Queen Bee.
“I don’t care if I am coaching NAIA or Division I,” she said.
“It’s about the opportunity to give back to a sport you love,
really impact players’ lives and give them a chance to be successful.”
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