Jill Pizzotti
American basketball player-coach
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Jill M. Pizzotti (born June 18, 1966) is an American college basketball coach who is currently the head women's basketball coach at DePaul University. She was previously the head coach at Saint Louis University from 1995 to 2005 and served as assistant then associate head coach under Doug Bruno at DePaul from 2011 to 2024.
| Current position | |
|---|---|
| Title | Head Coach |
| Team | DePaul |
| Conference | Big East |
| Record | 21–43 (.328) |
| Biographical details | |
| Born | June 18, 1966 Lombard, Illinois, U.S.[1] |
| Alma mater | Southeast Missouri State |
| Playing career | |
| 1984–1988 | Southeast Missouri State |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1989–1991 | Southeast Missouri State (asst.) |
| 1991–1992 | Northern Kentucky (asst.) |
| 1992–1995 | Indiana (asst.) |
| 1995–2005 | Saint Louis |
| 2005–2010* | Manager of Women's College Basketball - Nike |
| 2010–2011 | West Virginia (asst.) |
| 2011–2014 | DePaul (asst.) |
| 2014–2024 | DePaul (AHC) |
| 2024–2025 | DePaul (interim HC) |
| 2025–present | DePaul |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 134–210 (.390) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Awards | |
| |
Early life
A native of Lombard, Illinois, Pizzotti graduated from Willowbrook High School in Villa Park in 1984. She was inducted into her school's inaugural Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010.[2][3]
Coaching history
Early career
Pizzotti played collegiately at Southeast Missouri State University from 1984 to 1988, prior to the university's move up from Division II in 1991.[4] The 1986–1987 team would go on to win their conference championship, the first ever post season championship in program history and breaking Central Missouri's four-championship-streak.[5] Pizzotti played in the final game at the Houck Field House on February 18, 1987 prior to future games being played at the Show Me Center. The entire 1986–1987 team were part of the 2020 induction class into the Southeast Missouri Athletics Hall of Fame.[6]
After graduating, she joined the university as a graduate assistant coach in the women's basketball program under local SEMO legend, head coach Ed Arnzen. In 1991 the team repeated their previous success with another conference championship. Once again breaking another three-championship-streak by UCM. The Otahkians became the runner-up in the 1991 Division II tournament, losing to North Dakota State in the final 74―81. After two seasons, Pizzotti was named assistant coach at Northern Kentucky University for one year. By 1992 she was again named assistant coach at Indiana University Bloomington until 1995. Where she would witness two NCAA tournament appearances.
Saint Louis University
Pizzotti became head coach for the first time at Saint Louis University from 1995 to 2005. Her tenure was largely uneventful and the team reached the post season only once. The 2003 WNIT saw the Billikens reach only the first round before losing to Iowa 64―93.[7] She would leave the university after 10 years, finishing with a (113–167) record.[8]
DePaul University
After a one-year stint at West Virginia University, Pizzotti was picked up as the assistant coach of the DePaul Blue Demons starting in 2011.[9] She was elevated to the position of associate head coach in 2014. Just prior to the start of the 2024–25 season, it was announced that then head coach Doug Bruno was to miss the opener due to a "medical complication."[10] Pizzotti was made interim head coach in his absence. She would go on to coach the entire season, finishing with a 13–19 record and 6th in the conference. The best since the 2021–22 season. In March 2025, it was announced that Bruno would step down after 39 seasons as head coach. On April 3, the university announced that they had chosen Pizzotti as the next head coach of the women's basketball program.[11] On April 29, it was announced that former WNBA player Kathleen Doyle would serve as the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator.[12] After a one year stint at Loyola Chicago, it was announced on April 21, 2026 that assistant coach Jasmyne Fogle would serve in the same position under Pizzotti.[13]
Head coaching record
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Louis (CUSA) (1995–2005) | |||||||||
| 1995–96 | Saint Louis | 6–21 | 1–13 | 11th | |||||
| 1996–97 | Saint Louis | 10–18 | 4–10 | 10th | |||||
| 1997–98 | Saint Louis | 13–14 | 5–11 | 7th | |||||
| 1998–99 | Saint Louis | 16–12 | 6–10 | 9th | |||||
| 1999–2000 | Saint Louis | 11–17 | 4–12 | 9th | |||||
| 2000–01 | Saint Louis | 14–14 | 5–11 | 9th | |||||
| 2001–02 | Saint Louis | 14–15 | 6–8 | 9th | |||||
| 2002–03 | Saint Louis | 17–14 | 8–6 | 5th | WNIT First Round | ||||
| 2003–04 | Saint Louis | 8–19 | 2–12 | 12th | |||||
| 2004–05 | Saint Louis | 4–23 | 3–11 | 12th | |||||
| Saint Louis: | 113–167 (.404) | 44–104 (.297) | |||||||
| DePaul (Big East) (2024–present) | |||||||||
| 2024–25 | DePaul (interim HC) | 13–19 | 8–10 | 6th | |||||
| 2025–26 | DePaul | 8–24 | 5–15 | 10th | |||||
| DePaul: | 21–43 (.328) | 13–25 (.342) | |||||||
| Total: | 134–210 (.390) | ||||||||
|
National champion
Postseason invitational champion
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