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Head Coach Lois Heeren
Lois Heeren begins her ninth year as the University of Wisconsin-La
Crosse head women's basketball coach in 2007-08.
Before taking over as interim head coach eight years ago, Heeren served as
an assistant at UW-L during the 1998-99 season. “UW-L has a strong tradition
of academic and athletic excellence and we will strive for excellence with the
women’s basketball program.” says Heeren.
Heeren was named the 2005-06 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Co-Coach of the Year after leading UW-L to a 19-8 overall and 9-7 conference mark. The 19 overall and nine WIAC wins were the most since the 1987-88 season when UW-L finished 22-7 overall and 12-4 in the league. The Eagles finished fourth in the conference in 2005-06, their best finish since 1987-88. UW-L hosted a WIAC Tournament Quarterfinal for the first time in school history and appeared in the WIAC Semifinals for the first time in school history. The Eagles had an eight-win improvement from 2004-05.
A native of Greene, Iowa, Heeren served two seasons as an assistant at the
United States Air Force Academy before returning to the Midwest to become an
assistant at UW-L. She has had two prior collegiate head coaching stints. She
coached at St. Mary's University (Minn.) for three seasons (1993-96). Heeren
also coached at NCAA II Truman State University, formerly Northeast Missouri
State, for three seasons from 1989-1992.
She was able to revive struggling programs at Northeast Missouri and St. Mary’s.
In her second year at Northeast Missouri, the Lady Dogs posted their first winning
season in ten years, finished fourth in the conference and made their first
postseason tournament appearance in four years. In her first season at St. Mary’s,
she led the Cardinals to their best overall and conference record in five years.
Other collegiate coaching experience includes a year as an assistant at NCAA
I Southwest Texas State University in 1991-92 and as an assistant at UW-River
Falls from 1987-89. In addition, she has instructed at several camps and clinics
around the country. Heeren has coached one national Academic All-American and
has had numerous first team all-conference selections.
Heeren is a 1984 graduate of Truman State University. She received a master's degree in the Administration of Fitness/Wellness Programs from the University of Iowa in 1986. She also teaches in the UW-L Exercise and Sport Science Program.
Lois Heeren's Head Coaching Year-by-Year
| Year | School | Record |
| 1989-90 | Northeast Missouri State | 12-13 |
| 1990-91 | Northeast Missouri State | 16-11 |
| 1991-92 | Northeast Missouri State | 3-24 |
| 1993-94 | St. Mary's (Minn.) | 12-13 |
| 1994-95 | St. Mary's (Minn.) | 6-19 |
| 1995-96 | St. Mary's (Minn.) | 3-22 |
| 1999-00 | UW-La Crosse | 4-20 |
| 2000-01 | UW-La Crosse | 12-13 |
| 2001-02 | UW-La Crosse | 7-18 |
| 2002-03 | UW-La Crosse | 11-15 |
| 2003-04 | UW-La Crosse | 9-16 |
| 2004-05 | UW-La Crosse | 11-15 |
| 2005-06 | UW-La Crosse | 19-8 |
| 2006-07 | UW-La Crosse | 13-13 |
| Totals | 14 Seasons | 138-220 |
Assistant Coaches
Dan Messmann is in his first year as an assistant coach with the Eagles. He served as head boy’s basketball coach at Hope Lutheran High School in Winona, Minnesota in 2005-06. Prior to coaching at Hope Lutheran, Messmann was the head women’s basketball coach at St. Mary’s University in Winona from 2002-06. He led the Cardinals to a 18-8 record in 2004-05, the most wins since 1987. St. Mary’s earned its first Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) victory with a 77-67 win over Gustavus Adolphus College (Minn.) in 2004-05. Messmann led St. Mary’s to an overall record of 56-47 in four years, including 46-39 in the MIAC. The Cardinals also set school records for three-point field goals made and attempted under Messmann.
He earned his undergraduate degree from UW-La Crosse in physical education and his master’s degree from Winona State University in physical education. Messmann was a member of the UW-L basketball team from 1987-90.
Along with serving as head women’s basketball coach at St. Mary’s, Messmann was the Cardinals head women’s golf coach from 2000-06. Prior coaching experience includes serving as the assistant men’s basketball coach/head men’s junior varsity coach at St. Mary’s; assistant boy’s basketball coach at Winona Cotter High School; volunteer/graduate assistant at Winona State University and assistant men’s basketball coach at Northland Community and Technical College in Thief River, Minnesota.
Vince Hamilton is in his fourth season as a member of the Eagles’ coaching staff. He was a player, assistant coach and assistant marketing director for the La Crosse Catbirds of the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) from 1986-93 and played in the 1987 CBA All-Star Game. He was a member of the Catbirds’ CBA Championship teams in 1990-92 and named to the All-La Crosse Catbirds Team. Hamilton served as the La Crosse Bobcats Director of Basketball Operations, Assistant Coach and Community Relations Director in 1997-98. A fourth-round pick of the Indiana Pacers (72nd overall) in 1985, Hamilton played in the CBA for nine years. He led the league in field-goal percentage five times and shot 56.0% for his career. He played in more games than anyone else in league history. A 1992 graduate of Clemson University (S.C.), Hamilton was selected to the Clemson Hall of Fame in 2003 and to the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) All-Legends Team in 2004. He was named the 1985 Clemson Athlete of the Year. He played in three National Invitational Tournaments while at Clemson and was named the Tigers’ Most Valuable Player in 1981, 1982 and 1985. Hamilton was also named to the Clemson All-Greats Team and served as team captain.
Hamilton earned All-ACC Second Team honors in 1981-82 after leading the conference in field goal shooting at 58.6%. Clemson’s leading scorer in 1983-84 and 1984-85, Hamilton ranks eighth in career scoring (1,530 points) and fourth in career field goals made (652). He is still the number one rebounding guard in school history and ranks as one of four players in ACC history with 1,500 points, 500 rebounds, and 300 assists in a career.
He currently serves as vice-president of Lorenz Chiropractic Inc. in La Crosse, a position he has held since 1992. He was the owner and president of the P.I.B.A. Marketing Company in La Crosse (1994-96).
Mark Ross is in his second season on the Eagles’ coaching staff. He comes to UW-L after serving as the junior varsity girls’ basketball coach at Onalaska (Wis.) Luther High School for six seasons where his teams accumulated a record of 97-22. Ross is currently in his eighth year as a math teacher at Luther and serves as the Knights’ varsity girls’ tennis and softball head coach. He also has five years of experience coaching AAU basketball.
A 1990 graduate of Wisconsin Lutheran College, Ross was a four-year letter winner in basketball while being named team captain and earning first team all-conference honors his senior season. He also lettered in baseball and soccer and was named WLC’s Scholar-Athlete in 1990.
Matt Roberts is in his first season as UW-L’s graduate assistant coach. Roberts currently teaches at Tomah (Wis.) Middle School and has coached in the Tomah School District since 2001. He served as head coach for the Tomah High School JV Girls’ Basketball Team for three years. Roberts has also coached basketball in River Falls and Hudson, Wisconsin as well as in Hastings, Minnesota. He earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education from UW-River Falls in 2001. Roberts is currently pursuing his master’s degree in sports management at UW-L.
Mary Frazier is in his first season as UW-L’s student assistant coach. Originally from Valley, Alabama, Frazier attended The Prairie School in Racine, Wisconsin. She served as UW-L’s manager the past four years before becoming a student assistant this season. Frazier is a recreation management major.
