Olivia Lett gets set to bring success to UIS

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Lucas Domonousky

Breeze-Courier Sports Editor

SPRINGFIELD — “I try to be aware of the fact that my success had come because of the people around me. Staying in central Illinois allows me to capitalize on that.”

Staying local is and always has been Olivia Lett’s mission. The 2012 Pana High School graduate was officially named the next Head Coach of the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) Women’s Basketball team. A press conference was held on Monday, June 3 showcasing the excitement felt by staff and players as well as family, friends and Lett herself.

As a player, Olivia shined on the court as a Pana Panther and later on as an Illinois Wesleyan Titan. To this day Lett holds the All-Time scoring record for the Orange and Blue amassing 2,439 points and aiding the Panthers in reaching the Sectional finals three of her four years. Coach Lett explains the perspective her playing days provides as a coach.

“It’s definitely an advantage,” She says on Monday afternoon in the Student Union Center. “Especially on the recruiting side of it. You know those things that stuck with you, as a recruit, and the ways you can make those personal connections. Realistically, that is what is going to allow us to be extremely successful here is making those personal connections. It’s not about selling some huge city. It’s about selling those personal relationships and where that can take you as a person and throughout your career.”

Lett is leaving trails of legacies everywhere she goes. She posted six strong years of coaching the Millikin Women’s Basketball team to a trio of NCAA tournament appearances and CCIW Conference Championships. With an overall record of 105-48 with the Big Blue, she and the Prairie Stars hope she can continue the coaching success.

“This isn’t something that I’ve created something amazing, special that is different from everybody else,” Lett explains. “it’s just continuing to build on those connections that we’ve had since I was fourteen years old. To be able to continue those relationships is something that can help us grow quickly and grow to national level success.”

The phrase “greater than 94” alludes to the ninety-four feet of a NCAA regulation basketball court. Greatness doesn’t come in just one step or overnight. For Olivia Lett there are four pillars which hold up her designed program. Authenticity, relentlessness, selflessness and everyday.

Success is starting to build,” Olivia Lett says with the utmost confidence. “and there is a vision for the future in place. The mission statement discusses the idea of being champions, on and off the court. We have utilized a similar mantra. That mantra is: Greater Than 94. We want to be greater than just the ninety-four feet of basketball court.”

With Head Coach Olivia Lett officially at the helm of the UIS Women’s basketball program she, her staff and the athletes will waste no time getting right to work.

“I think the big thing that we want to attack first is just trying to get the student athletes to buy into the ‘greater than 94’ and what our pillars are,” Coach Lett tells. “To help them grow in those areas as young women so that they can go out into the world and be great moms, great wives, great business people. When they see that is what we’re bought into we’re going to have more success on the floor as well.”