DePaul Blue Demons women's basketball

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UniversityDePaul University
LocationChicago, Illinois
ArenaWintrust Arena
(capacity: 10,387)
DePaul Blue Demons
2025–26 DePaul Blue Demons women's basketball team
UniversityDePaul University
Head coachJill Pizzotti (2nd season)
LocationChicago, Illinois
ArenaWintrust Arena
(capacity: 10,387)
ConferenceBig East
NicknameBlue Demons
ColorsRoyal blue and scarlet[1]
   
NCAA Division I tournament Sweet Sixteen
2006, 2011, 2014, 2016
NCAA Division I tournament appearances
1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022
Conference tournament champions
Big East Conference
2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2020
Conference regular-season champions
North Star Conference
1987, 1988, 1989
Great Midwest Conference
1992
Conference USA
1996, 2005
Big East Conference
2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020
NWIT champions
1988

The DePaul Blue Demons women's basketball program is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate women's basketball program of DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois. The team competes in the Big East Conference.

The Blue Demons play home games at Wintrust Arena at the McCormick Place convention center on Chicago's Near South Side.[2] While DePaul is among the ranks for regular appearances in the NCAA tournament with 25, they have the most appearances in the tournament without reaching the Final Four.

The DePaul women's basketball team began competing in the AIAW in 1974–1975 under coach Debbie Miller and had their first winning season two seasons later, obtaining an 11–10 record under then coach Doug Bruno.[3]

DePaul is one of the seven core schools that left the original Big East Conference in 2013 to form the current Big East Conference. Before joining the original Big East in 2005, the Blue Demons previously competed in Conference USA, the Great Midwest Conference, and the North Star Conference.[3]

After 39 seasons as head coach, Doug Bruno announced that he was stepping down on March 28, 2025, after missing nearly the entire 2024–25 season. Beginning May 1, Bruno will become DePaul's Special Assistant to the Vice President/Director of Athletics for Women's Basketball.[4] Associate head coach Jill Pizzotti finished the season and was officially promoted to full-time status on 3 April 2025.[5]

Year by year results

Source[6] [7] [8]

Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason Coaches' poll AP poll
Debbie Miller (Independent) (1974–1976)
1974–75 Debbie Miller 3–8IAIAW
1975–76 Debbie Miller 7–12IAIAW
Debbie Miller: 10–20
Doug Bruno (Independent) (1977–1979)
1976–77 Doug Bruno 11–10
1977–78 Doug Bruno 16–6IAIAW
Doug Bruno: 27–16
John Lawler (Independent) (1978–1980)
1978–79 John Lawler 23–4IAIAW
1979–80 John Lawler 11–13AIAW Midwest
: 34–17
Ron Feiereisel (Independent, North Star) (1980–1984)
1980–81 Ron Feiereisel 18–14AIAW Midwest
1981–82 Ron Feiereisel 18–12NWIT Sixth Place
1982–83 Ron Feiereisel 13–15
North Star Conference
1983–84 Ron Feiereisel 12–165–53rd
Ron Feiereisel: 61–575–5
Jim Izard (North Star) (1984–1988)
1984–85 Jim Izard 19–97–75th
1985–86 Jim Izard 21–78–64th
1986–87 Jim Izard 23–85–11stNWIT Seventh Place
1987–88 Jim Izard 27–49–11stNWIT Champions22
Jim Izard: 90–2829–15
Doug Bruno (North Star, Great Midwest, Conference USA, Big East (original), Big East (current)) (1988–2025)
1988–89 Doug Bruno 23–1012–2T-1stNWIT Sixth Place
1989–90 Doug Bruno 22–1010–22ndNCAA Second Round (Play-In)
1990–91 Doug Bruno 19–1211–33rdNCAA First Round
Great Midwest Conference
1991–92 Doug Bruno 21–108–21st (GM)NCAA Second Round (Bye)
1992–93 Doug Bruno 20–98–22ndNCAA First Round
1993–94 Doug Bruno 10–205–74th
1994–95 Doug Bruno 20–99–32ndNCAA First Round
Conference USA
1995–96 Doug Bruno 21–1013–11st (CUSA Blue)NCAA Second Round23
1996–97 Doug Bruno 20–910–42nd (CUSA Blue)NCAA First Round
1997–98 Doug Bruno 11–185–116th (American)
1998–99 Doug Bruno 12–157–94th (American)
1999–2000 Doug Bruno 18–1210–62nd (American)WNIT Sixteen
2000–01 Doug Bruno 18–148–84th (American)WNIT Sixteen
2001–02 Doug Bruno 15–148–64th
2002–03 Doug Bruno 22–1010–43rdNCAA First Round
2003–04 Doug Bruno 23–710–44thNCAA Second Round25
2004–05 Doug Bruno 26–513–11stNCAA Second Round2017
Big East Conference (1979–2013)
2005–06 Doug Bruno 27–711–53rdNCAA Sweet Sixteen1513
2006–07 Doug Bruno 19–138–810thNCAA First Round
2007–08 Doug Bruno 20–128–89thNCAA First Round
2008–09 Doug Bruno 23–1010–66thNCAA First Round
2009–10 Doug Bruno 21–129–77thNCAA First Round
2010–11 Doug Bruno 29–713–32ndNCAA Sweet Sixteen109
2011–12 Doug Bruno 23–119–78thNCAA Second Round24
2012–13 Doug Bruno 21–129–77thNCAA First Round
Big East Conference
2013–14 Doug Bruno 27–615–31stNCAA Sweet Sixteen2322
2014–15 Doug Bruno 27–815–32ndNCAA Second round
2015–16 Doug Bruno 27–916–21stNCAA Sweet Sixteen2021
2016–17 Doug Bruno 27–816–21stNCAA Second round1918
2017–18 Doug Bruno 27–815–32ndNCAA Second round23
2018–19 Doug Bruno 26–814–42ndNCAA First round2425
2019–20 Doug Bruno 28–515–31st1514
2020–21 Doug Bruno 14–1011–54thWNIT First round
2021–22 Doug Bruno 22–1114–64thNCAA First four
2022–23 Doug Bruno 16–178–127th
2023–24 Doug Bruno 12–204–1410th
Doug Bruno: 786–402379–183
Jill Pizzotti (Big East) (2024–2026)
2024–25 Jill Pizzotti 13–198–106th
2025–26 Jill Pizzotti 8–245–1510th
Jill Pizzotti: 21–4313–25
Total:913–503

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

NCAA tournament results

The Blue Demons have appeared in the NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament 25 times. Their combined record is 17–25.

Year Seed Round Opponent Result
1990#8Round of 48
Round of 32
Western Kentucky
Washington
W 73–63
L 77–68
1991#12Round of 48Oklahoma StateL 80–81
1992#11Round of 48
Round of 32
Arizona State
Penn State
W 67–65
L 54–77
1993#11Round of 48Louisiana TechL 59–70
1995#13Round of 64George WashingtonL 79–87
1996#7Round of 64
Round of 32
Southern Methodist
Iowa
W 96–82
L 71–72
1997#12Round of 64DukeL 56–70
2003#9Round of 64UtahL 64–73
2004#9Round of 64
Round of 32
George Washington
Tennessee
W 83–46
L 59–79
2005#5Round of 64
Round of 32
Virginia Tech
Liberty
W 79–78
L 79–88
2006#4Round of 64
Round of 32
Sweet Sixteen
Liberty
Tulsa
LSU
W 68–43
W 71–67
L 56–66
2007#10Round of 64Georgia TechL 54–55
2008#10Round of 64MaristL 57–76
2009#7Round of 64San Diego StateL 43–68
2010#11Round of 64VanderbiltL 76–83 (OT)
2011#3Round of 64
Round of 32
Sweet Sixteen
Navy
Penn State
Duke
W 56–43
W 75–53
L 63–70
2012#7Round of 64
Round of 32
Brigham Young
Tennessee
W 59–55
L 48–63
2013#10Round of 64Oklahoma StateL 56–73
2014#7Round of 64
Round of 32
Sweet Sixteen
Oklahoma
Duke
Texas A&M
W 104–100
W 74–65
L 65–84
2015#9Round of 64
Round of 32
Minnesota
Notre Dame
W 79–72
L 67–79
2016#6Round of 64
Round of 32
Sweet Sixteen
James Madison
Louisville
Oregon State
W 97–67
W 73–72
L 71–83
2017#7Round of 64
Round of 32
Northern Iowa
Mississippi State
W 88–67
L 71–92
2018#5Round of 64
Round of 32
Oklahoma
Texas A&M
W 90–79
L 80–81
2019#6Round of 64Missouri StateL 78–89
2022#11First FourDaytonL 57–88

WNIT Championships

DePaul has won one National Women's Invitational Tournament (NWIT) championship before the tournament folded in 1996 to become the WNIT.

Year Coach Record Result
1987-88Jim Izard27–4DePaul 83 Purdue Boilermakers 55
Total NWIT/WNIT championships: 1

Notable players and coaches

National awards

Aneesah Morrow – 2022
Aneesah Morrow – 2022
Doug Bruno – 2008

Conference awards

Brittany Hrynko – 2015
Chanise Jenkins – 2016
Brooke Schulte – 2017
Aneesah Morrow – 2022
Jacqui Grant – 2017
Chante Stonewall – 2020
  • Big East Conference Sixth Player of the Year
China Threatt – 2009
Taylor Pikes – 2011
Tanita Allen – 2017
  • Big East Conference Coach of the Year
Doug Bruno – 2014, 2016, 2017
Kim Williams – 1996
  • Conference USA Freshman of the Year
Khara Smith – 2003
Allie Quigley – 2005
  • Conference USA Sixth Player of the Year
Kris Booker – 1996
  • Conference USA Coach of the Year
Doug Bruno – 2005
  • Conference USA All-Decade Team[a]
Khara Smith
  • Conference USA Coach of the Decade
Doug Bruno
Tammy Williams – 1993
Latasha Byears – 1995
  • Great Midwest Conference Coach of the Year
Doug Bruno – 1995
Sally Anderson – 1987
Diana Vines – 1988, 1989
  • North Star Conference Coach of the Year
Jim Izard – 1987

Retired numbers

DePaul has retired four jersey numbers.

DePaul Blue Demons retired numbers
No. Player Pos. Career Year Retired
40Diana VinesForward1985-892024

Notes

References

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