Jill Pizzotti

Last updated

Jill M. Pizzotti
Current position
TitleHead Coach
Team DePaul
Conference Big East
Record13–19 (.406)
Biographical details
Born (1966-06-18) June 18, 1966 (age 59)
Lombard, Illinois, U.S. [1]
Alma mater Southeast Missouri State
Playing career
1984–1988 Southeast Missouri State
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1989–1991Southeast Missouri State (asst.)
1991–1992 Northern Kentucky (asst.)
1992–1995 Indiana (asst.)
1995–2005 Saint Louis
2005–2010*Manager of Women's College Basketball - Nike
2010–2011 West Virginia (asst.)
2011–2014 DePaul (asst.)
2014–2024DePaul (AHC)
2024–2025DePaul (interim HC)
2025–presentDePaul
Head coaching record
Overall126–186 (.404)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
MIAA tournament champion (1987)

Southeast Missouri Athletics Hall of Fame (2020)

Jill M. Pizzotti (born June 18, 1966) is an American college basketball coach who is currently the head women's basketball coach at DePaul University. She was previously the head coach at Saint Louis University from 1995 to 2005 and served as assistant then associate head coach under Doug Bruno at DePaul from 2011 to 2024.

Contents

Early life

A native of Lombard, Illinois, Pizzotti graduated from Willowbrook High School in Villa Park in 1983. She was inducted into her school's inaugural Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010. [2]

Coaching history

Early career

Pizzotti played collegiately at Southeast Missouri State University from 1984 to 1988, prior to the university's move up from Division II in 1991. [3] The 1986–1987 team would go on to win their conference championship, the first ever post season championship in program history and breaking Central Missouri's four-championship-streak. [4] Pizzotti played in the final game at the Houck Field House on February 18, 1987 prior to future games being played at the Show Me Center. The entire 1986–1987 team were part of the 2020 induction class into the Southeast Missouri Athletics Hall of Fame. [5]

After graduating, she joined the university as a graduate assistant coach in the women's basketball program under local SEMO legend, head coach Ed Arnzen. In 1991 the team repeated their previous success with another conference championship. Once again breaking another three-championship-streak by UCM. The team became the runner up in the 1991 Division II tournament, losing to North Dakota State in the final. After two seasons, Pizzotti was named assistant coach at Northern Kentucky University for one year. By 1992 she was again named assistant coach at Indiana University Bloomington until 1995.

Saint Louis University

Pizzotti became head coach for the first time at Saint Louis University from 1995 to 2005. Her tenure was largely uneventful and the team reached the post season only once. The 2003 WNIT saw the Billikens reach only the first round before losing to Iowa 64―93. [6] She would leave the university after 10 years, finishing with a (113–167) record. [7]

DePaul University

After a one-year stint at West Virginia University, Pizzotti was picked up as the assistant coach of the DePaul Blue Demons starting in 2011. [8] She was elevated to the position of associate head coach in 2014. Just prior to the start of the 2024–25 season, it was announced that then head coach Doug Bruno was to miss the opener due to a "medical complication." [9] Pizzotti was made interim head coach in his absence. She would go on to coach the entire season, finishing with a 13–19 record and 6th in the conference. The best since the 2021–22 season. In March 2025, it was announced that Bruno would step down after 39 seasons as head coach. On April 3, the university announced that they had chosen Pizzotti as the next head coach of the women's basketball program. [10] On April 29, it was announced that former WNBA player Kathleen Doyle would serve as the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. [11]

Head coaching record

Statistics overview
SeasonTeamOverallConferenceStandingPostseason
Saint Louis (CUSA)(1995–2005)
1995–96Saint Louis 6–211–13
1996–97Saint Louis 10–184–10
1997–98Saint Louis 13–145–11
1998–99Saint Louis 16–126–10
1999–2000Saint Louis 11–174–12
2000–01Saint Louis 14–145–11
2001–02Saint Louis 14–156–89th
2002–03Saint Louis 17–148–65thWNIT First Round
2003–04Saint Louis 8–192–1212th
2004–05Saint Louis 4–233–1112th
Saint Louis:113–167 (.404)44–104 (.297)
DePaul (Big East)(2024–present)
2024–25 DePaul (interim HC) 13–198–106th
2025–26DePaul
DePaul:13–19 (.406)8–10 (.444)
Total:126–186 (.404)

      National champion        Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion        Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion      Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References

  1. Sun-Times staff (April 3, 2025). "DePaul picks Jill Pizzotti to replace Doug Bruno as women's basketball coach". Chicago Sun Times. Chicago Sun-Times Media, Inc. Retrieved August 17, 2025.
  2. "Jill M. Pizzotti". Big East Conference. DePaul University Athletics. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  3. "Conference Timeline - History". Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. Retrieved April 5, 2025.
  4. "1986-87 Women's Basketball Team". Women's Basketball. Southeast Missouri State University Athletics. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  5. Clay Herrell (October 12, 2020). "Paving the way: the team immortalized in SEMO history". Arrow. Retrieved August 4, 2025.
  6. "2003 Postseason Women's National Invitation Tournament" (PDF). WNIT. 2003. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
  7. "Jill Pizzotti". sports-reference. Sports Reference Purpose. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  8. "Pizzotti and Ryckbosch Join Women's Basketball Staff". Big East Conference. DePaul University Athletics. June 21, 2011. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  9. "DePaul Head Coach Doug Bruno to Miss Season Opener". Big East Conference. DePaul University Athletics. November 4, 2024. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  10. "Jill M. Pizzotti Named DePaul Women's Basketball Head Coach". Big East Conference. DePaul University Athletics. April 3, 2025. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  11. "Kathleen Doyle Tabbed Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator". Womens Basketball. Big East Conference. April 29, 2025. Retrieved April 29, 2025.