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Corpus Christi coach has had success in D-I basketball
Jackrabbit women, Islanders meet today at Frost Arena
Chris Solari
csolari@argusleader.com
Article Published: 01/26/06, 2:55 am
If there's anyone in the country who can understand what Aaron Johnston is going through, it's Jodi Kest.
Kest, the women's basketball coach at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, played and coached in Division II before landing her current job four seasons ago. The Islanders have been playing as an independent in Division I.
As the school heads into the Southland Conference next season, Kest has turned the Islanders into a formidable D-I program with the rarest trophy for an independent - a postseason berth in the Women's National Invitation Tournament.
"Sometimes, people think playing an independent or a team going from Division II to Division I is going to be an easy win," Kest said. "I just smile."
The Islanders (10-7) play Johnston's South Dakota State Jackrabbits (10-8) tonight at Frost Arena. Tipoff is 7 p.m.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi was in a much different situation than SDSU in the move to D-I athletics. The school began its athletic program from scratch in 1998, and the women's hoops team has not had a losing season in its first six years.
Then last year, Kest's third as coach, the Islanders earned a berth in the 32-team WNIT and hosted a first-round game. They defeated Fresno State 56-53 in front of more than 4,500 fans at their 8,500-seat American Bank Center.
"The fact that we got in, hosted a game and won - that was huge," said Dan Viola, the Islanders athletic director. "We had people tell us it was louder for the WNIT game than when we were sold out for Oklahoma State (in men's basketball)."
The Islanders lost 65-59 at Texas A&M in the WNIT second round and finished the season 23-7. Johnston has used the Islanders' WNIT run as a blueprint for his own program, since the Jackrabbits aren't eligible for NCAA Tournament play until 2008-09.
"Winning a game and making it to the round of 16 is very impressive," Johnston said. "They're definitely an established Division I team."
The Islanders, who have been eligible for the NCAA Tournament, will have their best shot to make it next year. Joining the Southland Conference gives them their first chance at an automatic berth, which is why conference membership is so important for independents.
"Being an independent school, as I'm sure South Dakota State knows, it's a challenge to have to play all the big-named teams on the road," Kest said. "Our goal has always been to go to the postseason. To play Top 25 teams, you have to play them on the road, and you have to play them in November and December."
Kest has been named Independent Women's Coach of the Year in each of her first three seasons in Corpus Christi, an island town of nearly 300,000 people on the Gulf Coast of eastern Texas. She came to Texas after coaching Gannon University and playing collegiately at Slippery Rock University, both Division II stalwarts in Pennsylvania.
Kest isn't surprised that SDSU has had early D-I success in women's basketball, just three seasons removed from winning the Division II national title.
"They were at the top of Division II," Kest said. "When you win a national championship, you're the best. Those kids know how to win - they have the mentality to win."
Corpus Christi coach has had success in D-I basketball
Jackrabbit women, Islanders meet today at Frost Arena
Chris Solari
csolari@argusleader.com
Article Published: 01/26/06, 2:55 am
If there's anyone in the country who can understand what Aaron Johnston is going through, it's Jodi Kest.
Kest, the women's basketball coach at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, played and coached in Division II before landing her current job four seasons ago. The Islanders have been playing as an independent in Division I.
As the school heads into the Southland Conference next season, Kest has turned the Islanders into a formidable D-I program with the rarest trophy for an independent - a postseason berth in the Women's National Invitation Tournament.
"Sometimes, people think playing an independent or a team going from Division II to Division I is going to be an easy win," Kest said. "I just smile."
The Islanders (10-7) play Johnston's South Dakota State Jackrabbits (10-8) tonight at Frost Arena. Tipoff is 7 p.m.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi was in a much different situation than SDSU in the move to D-I athletics. The school began its athletic program from scratch in 1998, and the women's hoops team has not had a losing season in its first six years.
Then last year, Kest's third as coach, the Islanders earned a berth in the 32-team WNIT and hosted a first-round game. They defeated Fresno State 56-53 in front of more than 4,500 fans at their 8,500-seat American Bank Center.
"The fact that we got in, hosted a game and won - that was huge," said Dan Viola, the Islanders athletic director. "We had people tell us it was louder for the WNIT game than when we were sold out for Oklahoma State (in men's basketball)."
The Islanders lost 65-59 at Texas A&M in the WNIT second round and finished the season 23-7. Johnston has used the Islanders' WNIT run as a blueprint for his own program, since the Jackrabbits aren't eligible for NCAA Tournament play until 2008-09.
"Winning a game and making it to the round of 16 is very impressive," Johnston said. "They're definitely an established Division I team."
The Islanders, who have been eligible for the NCAA Tournament, will have their best shot to make it next year. Joining the Southland Conference gives them their first chance at an automatic berth, which is why conference membership is so important for independents.
"Being an independent school, as I'm sure South Dakota State knows, it's a challenge to have to play all the big-named teams on the road," Kest said. "Our goal has always been to go to the postseason. To play Top 25 teams, you have to play them on the road, and you have to play them in November and December."
Kest has been named Independent Women's Coach of the Year in each of her first three seasons in Corpus Christi, an island town of nearly 300,000 people on the Gulf Coast of eastern Texas. She came to Texas after coaching Gannon University and playing collegiately at Slippery Rock University, both Division II stalwarts in Pennsylvania.
Kest isn't surprised that SDSU has had early D-I success in women's basketball, just three seasons removed from winning the Division II national title.
"They were at the top of Division II," Kest said. "When you win a national championship, you're the best. Those kids know how to win - they have the mentality to win."
I am not criticizing the decisions or the circumstances, but the program will come back but come back slowly now and I don't have big expections such as a final four appearence.
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