A former Belle Lady Tiger basketball player is moving up the coaching ranks.

According to a Monday press release from Illinois State University, former Belle Lady Tiger basketball player Jessica Keller has been promoted to the role of associate head coach following three seasons of serving as an assistant coach of the Illinois State University Women’s basketball program.

“I could not be more thrilled to promote Jessica Keller to associate head coach,” said Gillespie. “In the last three years, Jess has made a huge impact in all areas of our program, including in the development of our players, in scouting opponents and executing game plans, and on the recruiting trail. There is not an aspect of the program she doesn’t have a hand in, and I know the future of ISU women’s basketball is bright with her on our side.”

Keller has helped the Redbirds to back-to-back 19-win seasons and has been instrumental to the program’s development of five All-Missouri Valley Conference players, as well as three MVC Newcomers of the Year. The ‘Birds have finished better than their preseason poll prediction in every year with Keller on staff.

Prior to arriving in Normal, Keller served as the head coach at Columbia College in Columbia, Missouri for three seasons, coaching the Cougars to an overall record of 75-24 and a pair of NAIA National Tournament appearances. She also had assistant coaching stops at Minnesota State University in Mankato, Minnesota  and at Quincy University in Quincy, Illinois as a graduate assistant coach.