The collective works of Cheryl Burnett and Jackie Stiles changed the local female sports scene like none other. Burnett, Missouri State University Lady Bears basketball coach 1987–2002, guided her teams to 10 trips to the NCAA tournament and the school’s first Final Four appearance in 1992. In establishing a nationally recognized program in the 1990s – and a notable local fan base – she attracted Stiles to MSU, perhaps her greatest accomplishment. Stiles would go on to become the all-time leading scorer in NCAA Division I history with 3,393 points – a record that still stands. Stiles led her teams between 1997 and 2001 to four straight NCAA births and the program’s second Final Four her senior year. The All-American was named Missouri Conference Player of the Year three times. In 2010, nearly 10 years after they’ve left, the school ranked 34th nationally in home attendance.
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