Women's Basketball
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- tanya.warren@uni.edu
- Phone:
- 273-6464
Tanya Warren finished her 18th season as the head coach of the UNI Panther women’s basketball team in the 2024-25 season. Warren is a three-time Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year and guided the Panthers to league regular season titles in 2011 and 2016. She was the first black female head coach in UNI history and the first black female head coach in Missouri Valley Conference basketball history. Warren, the dean of MVC women’s basketball coaches, is 339-244 ranking her first in team history and second in the MVC.
Under her direction, the Panthers have appeared in postseason play in 15 of the last 16 full seasons (excluding 2019-20 because of COVID restrictions) including back-to-back NCAA Tournament berths in 2010 and 2011. She led the Panthers to all of the program’s first nine postseason victories including a run to the 2021 Women’s National Invitation Tournament semifinals. With Warren leading the way, the Panthers have also won two MVC tournament championships (2010, 2011).
The 2024-25 season saw the biggest win in program history, the Panthers' first top-10 victory after an 87-75 win over no. 8 Iowa State inside the McLeod Center. the season also held a pair of team records set including total points and field goals made while the Panthers had the second-highest scoring average and third-most steals. A number of individuals crested milestones including Kayba Laube recording her 1,000th point and setting the career three-pointer record. Maya McDermott capped her career with the program's single-season field goal record and moved up to no. 2 on UNI's all-time scoring list. UNI finished a 17-17 season with its first bid to the Women's Basketball Invitational Tournament (WBIT) where the Panthers competed in Gainesville, Florida against the Florida Gators.
The 2023-24 season witnessed many milestones for the UNI women’s basketball team. Warren set a new Valley record with 207 MVC coaching wins, passing the previous mark of 201 set by Cheryl Burnett (Missouri State 1988-02). Her 202nd conference victory came in the largest comeback of her career, an 18-point comeback at Murray State. For the first time in program history, three Panthers crossed the 1,000-point threshold including Maya McDermott, Grace Boffeli, and Emerson Green. UNI put together the fourth toughest non-conference strength of schedule per NET rankings and finished with a 16-16 record including a 14-6 record in MVC play. The Panthers finished the season competing in the WNIT for the fourth straight season. The Panthers were led by Maya McDermott and Grace Boffeli who were both named to the All-MVC First Team. McDermott was named to the MVC All-Tournament team after falling in the semifinal matchup in overtime. Maya McDermott set a new single-season record with a nation-leading 96.4% free throw percentage.
It was another big season for UNI in 2022-23 putting up their first consecutive 20+ win seasons since 2015-2017. The Panthers again set a new points record, putting up 2,461 points with a high-powered offense. UNI picked up 23 wins in the 22-23 season and appeared in the WNIT for the third straight season. The Panthers were led by forward Grace Boffeli and point guard Maya McDermott who both made All-MVC teams including Boffeli being named to the MVC All-Tournament team after making it to the semifinal round of Hoops in the Heartland. UNI ended their season in the second round of the WNIT in a road loss to Nebraska.
The 2021-22 UNI team was one of the most explosive in Warren’s career. Setting new records for points scored in a season, most points scored in a game, and largest margin of victory, the Panthers had a 23-win season with a postseason appearance in the WNIT. UNI finished the regular season with 20 wins and went into Hoops in the Heartland as the number 3 seed. The Panthers made it all the way to the championship game before falling to Illinois State but earned a birth to the WNIT tournament. Guard Karli Rucker and forward Bre Gunnels were named to the MVC All-Tournament team for their performance at Hoops in the Heartland.
In 2020-21 UNI once again reached the 17-win threshold and a top-half finish in conference play for the 12th consecutive season. The Panthers qualified for the WNIT and won the Rockford Regional with victories against Dayton, Creighton, and Saint Louis. UNI reached the tournament’s semifinals for the program’s most successful WNIT appearance ever. The Panthers also excelled in the classroom finishing 15th among Division I programs in grade point average. The 3.663 GPA is also the best mark in program history since WBCA started announcing its Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll in 1996.
The 2019-20 team was the first in program history to pick up wins over three Power-Five teams and the first to win games over Iowa, Iowa State, and Drake in the same season. The Panthers were on the verge of making their 10th postseason appearance in 11 seasons before the COVID-19 pandemic ended the season on the eve of Hoops in the Heartland. Karli Rucker was named First Team All-MVC and Megan Maahs earned Honorable Mention Scholar-Athlete recognition.
In 2018-19, the Panthers won 20 games for the fourth time in program history and the third time in four seasons. UNI returned to the WNIT for the second consecutive season despite missing All-MVC forward Megan Maahs for much of the year. Karli Rucker stepped into the starting point guard role and earned First Team All-MVC accolades after averaging 15.0 points and 3.8 assists per game. Three Panthers earned MVC Scholar-Athlete honors. Ellie Howell was named to the first team, Karli Rucker to the second team, and Taylor Hagen earned honorable mention accolades.
UNI reached the MVC championship game in three consecutive seasons from 2016 through 2018. The 2017-18 Panthers followed their deep run in the conference tournament with a berth in the WNIT. Under Warren’s tutelage, Megan Maahs earned All-MVC and All-Defensive Team honors while Ellie Howell received Honorable Mention All-MVC recognition.
Warren guided the Panthers to their third NCAA Tournament appearance in 2016-17. The Panthers posted 24 wins for the second consecutive season and earned the program’s first at-large berth into the NCAA Tournament. UNI was a No. 10 seed and played No. 7 seed DePaul in Starkville, Miss. Warren coached Ellie Howell to MVC Sixth Player of the Year honors which was the second for Warren and the Panthers. UNI also earned All-MVC honors for Howell, Megan Maahs, and Madison Weekly. Warren also became the program’s winningest head coach during the season. She earned her 184th victory with UNI’s 65-64 win on March 4 against Missouri State to pass Tony DiCecco (183-161) for the top spot.
In 2015-16, Warren led UNI to its second regular season MVC title earning her third MVC Coach of the Year honor. The Panthers finished in the third round of the WNIT with a one-point loss to eventual WNIT champion South Dakota. UNI went 24-11 overall and 15-3 in MVC play - the second-most Valley wins and second-most total wins in school history. Madison Weekly and Amber Sorenson were First Team All-Conference, and Weekly was the MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Warren has coached the only two UNI women to score at least 600 points in a season in Jacqui Kalin (662 points, 2012-13) and Weekly (618 points, 2015-16). She coached Amber Sorenson and Sharnae Lamar to record-breaking years in 2015-16 setting new UNI marks in three-pointers made (97, Sorensen) and assists (195, Lamar) respectively. Stressing defense and technique, the Panthers finished 2015-16 ranked in the Top 15 in the country in turnovers per game.
UNI made yet another postseason appearance during the 2014-15 season after earning a bid to play in the WNIT. UNI finished the 2014-15 season with an overall record of 17-15 and a 12-6 conference mark after beginning MVC play on a program-best four-game winning streak. Warren coached First Team All-MVC point guard Madison Weekly and was at the helm to see Stephanie Davison be named the first-ever MVC Sixth Player of the Year.
After the 2014-15 season concluded, Warren was awarded the unique opportunity to coach for her country after being named an assistant coach for Team USA at the World University Games in South Korea. During the month of July, Warren traveled overseas with Team USA for the tournament eventually defeating Canada in the championship game for the gold medal.
Without a senior on the team, Warren guided a young but experienced squad to a third-place finish in the MVC during the 2013-14 season. The Panthers finished 17-13 overall for the fifth straight season with 17 or more wins and 13-5 in conference play for their second-highest conference win total in school history. She saw sophomore Jen Keitel named to the All-MVC First Team and four student-athletes named to the MVC Scholar-Athlete teams. Culminating the 2013-14 season was Warren winning her second MVC Coach of the Year honor. She also saw the team earn the seventh-best GPA in NCAA Division I women’s basketball. The Panthers were named to the Honor Roll for the third consecutive season including two seasons in a row in the Top 10. The team also finished with the seventh-best GPA during the 2012-13 season.
The 2012-13 season showed promise for the Panthers with a young group of athletes. Warren helped lead the Panthers to a 17-17 season. Under Warren’s guidance, UNI made its fourth straight postseason appearance and picked up its first WNIT victory in program history over the Marquette Golden Eagles. Jacqui Kalin culminated her illustrious career that season with the Sioux City, Iowa, native winning MVC Player of the Year and MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Year recognition. Warren notched her 100th career win during the 2012-13 season when UNI defeated Evansville on March 3.
During the 2011-12 season, Warren led the Panthers to a 19-15 overall record and a 9-9 conference record. She guided the Panthers to their third straight postseason tournament appearance and to the WBI championship game. She coached a Second Team All-MVC selection in KK Armstrong and an MVC All-Defensive Team selection in Rachel Madrigal. Amber Kirschbaum was named to the MVC Scholar-Athlete Second Team.
In 2010-11, she led the Panthers to a 27-6 overall record and a 17-1 Valley record as UNI completed the conference season five games better than the second-place finishers. UNI won the MVC tournament for the second straight year and earned the school’s second NCAA Tournament appearance. She coached a pair of First Team All-MVC selections in Lizzie Boeck and Jacqui Kalin. Kalin was tabbed as the school’s first-ever MVC Player of the Year. Kalin was also named the league’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year, and Erin Brocka earned a spot on the All-Defensive Team.
Warren led the Panthers to a historic season as UNI won the Missouri Valley Conference tournament and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history in 2009-10. UNI finished 17-16 on the season and posted wins over three higher-seeded teams in the Valley tournament to earn the automatic berth. Jacqui Kalin was named a First Team All-Conference selection, and Lizzie Boeck was an Honorable Mention All-Conference selection. Kalin, Boeck, and Erin Brocka were also Academic All-Conference selections. Plus, the Panthers finished the season with the seventh-highest team GPA in the nation.
In 2008-09, Warren led an injury-plagued team to an 11-19 overall mark and a 9-9 record and sixth-place finish in the MVC. Junior Kim Wypiszynski was tabbed the league’s Newcomer of the Year, and she earned Second Team All-Conference honors. KK Armstrong was named to The Valley’s All-Freshman team. UNI also finished with the sixth-highest GPA among Division I teams for the second year in a row.
In her first season at the helm for the Panthers, Warren led a team composed primarily of freshmen and sophomores to a 13-18 overall record and an 8-10 conference mark and sixth-place league finish. UNI collected wins over eventual MVC co-champions Illinois State and Drake. Warren helped the Panthers take care of business at home finishing with a 9-5 mark in the McLeod Center including a 6-3 home record against league opponents. Under Warren’s watch, Jacqui Kalin was named the MVC Freshman of the Year, and the point guard also collected Second Team All-MVC honors. The 2007-08 Panthers also finished with the sixth-highest GPA among NCAA Division I teams.
Warren came to UNI after accumulating 13 years of Division I collegiate coaching experience. Warren previously served as an assistant coach at UNI for six years (1995-2001) under Tony DiCecco and other assistant coaching stops that included Creighton, Missouri, and Iowa State.
Warren, a 1988 graduate of Creighton, returned to her alma mater in 2004 as an assistant coach. In three seasons with the Bluejays, she helped lead Creighton to a WNIT appearance in 2005 and the Missouri Valley Conference tournament championship game in 2007. Working as the associate head coach, Warren was instrumental in developing Megan Neuvirth, the 2007 MVC Newcomer of the Year, as well as Sam Schuett, who was named to the 2007 MVC All-Freshman Team. During her tenure at Creighton, she coached three All-MVC selections.
Warren returned to Creighton after a three-year stint as an assistant at the University of Missouri (2001-04). In those three years, the Tigers made three postseason appearances including a trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2004. She also worked as the recruiting coordinator at Missouri, and she coached five All-Big 12 picks including two that would go on to play in the WNBA.
Prior to her time at Missouri, Warren worked as an assistant at UNI from 1995-2001. She coached several of the best players in UNI program history including Kelley (Westhoff) Jacobs. She also helped develop UNI’s then all-time scoring leader, Amy Swisher, as well as First Team All-MVC selections Allison (Starr) Pohlman, Alex Cook, Abbi Schutte, Kary Dawson, and Katie Miller. Warren joined the Panther program in DiCecco’s first season inheriting a team that won just four games the year prior. Warren helped lead UNI to an 18-win season and its first postseason appearance when the Panthers earned a bid to the WNIT.
Warren’s first collegiate coaching experience was at Iowa State where she spent one season as an assistant. Before joining the Cyclones, she spent two seasons as the head girls coach at Duchesne High School in Omaha, Neb. leading the team to its first state tournament appearance. Warren’s coaching career began with a four-year term as the head girls’ coach at Boys Town High School in Omaha.
Warren earned several accolades in her four-year playing career at Creighton. She still holds the CU records for assists in a career and in a season. Her 228 assists in 1987 ranked 10th nationally, and she ranks 10th on Creighton’s career scoring chart with 1,566 points. She averaged 18.7 points per game in 1987, and she was named as an NWIT All-Tournament Team and Kodak All-District V selection that season.
Warren’s No. 10 jersey is one of two retired numbers at Creighton, and she is also a member of the Creighton University Hall of Fame. Her collegiate career followed an impressive career at Des Moines Lincoln High School where she was eventually inducted into both the Lincoln High School Hall of Fame and the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union Basketball Hall of Fame.
