The Ashland University women’s basketball team found another accolade during its hectic week in St. Joseph, Missouri.

On Tuesday, March 21, Assistant Coach Jenna Kotas of the Eagles was announced as the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Assistant Coach of the Year in her first season with the University.

“I think it is a testament to all the hard work I have been putting in this season,” said Kotas. “Ever since I was a player or an assistant coach, this result goes to the people around me. I don’t win this without the players or coaches around me.”

Prior to joining the Eagles, she served as the University of Illinois Springfield assistant coach and as the assistant at Purdue Northwest women’s basketball program. She served three seasons at UIS and one at Purdue Northwest. Outside of those two teams, she spent time with Dubuque for one season and two seasons at Benedictine as the assistant.

Before being a coach, she was a player at Division III schools Clarke and Dubuque. During her playing career, she was an All-American honorable mention.

After garnering tremendous experience, Ashland University decided to bring her in as the assistant coach in the offseason before the 2022-2023 season.

Alongside Head Coach Kari Pickens and Graduate Assistant Erin Daniels, Kotas has helped lead the team to a 35-0 overall record and an NCAA Division II Final Four appearance this season.

“It is awesome, I have never experienced this [an undefeated season] and not a lot of people can say they can,” she said.

The award she received, given by the WBCA, recognizes an individual that reinforces a positive student-athlete environment with encouragement, excellence, structure, security, support and integrity.

She will now look to help the Eagles find a National Championship by taking down Glenville State in the Final Four, Wednesday, March 22 at 8:30 p.m. CST / 9:30 p.m. EST.

“What we are doing right now, competing for a national championship, we’ve got one more test in front of us and that’s Glenville State,” she said.