Ardie McInelly explained

Ardie McInelly
Image Upright:0.75
Birth Date:2 September 1959
Birth Place:Mackay, Idaho
Player Years1:1977–1981
Player Team1:Boise State
Coach Years1:1988–1991
Coach Team1:Montana State (asst.)
Coach Years2:1991–1992
Coach Team2:Pacific (asst.)
Coach Years3:1992–1996
Coach Team3:Weber State (asst.)
Coach Years4:1996–2001
Coach Team4:Idaho State
Coach Years5:2001–2010
Coach Team5:Air Force
Coach Years6:2013–2016
Overall Record:134–263 (college)
Tournament Record:0–1 (NCAA)
Championships:
Awards:
  • 2× Big Sky Coach of the Year (1999, 2000)

Ardena Frances "Ardie" McInelly (born September 2, 1959) is an American basketball coach. McInelly was the head women's basketball coach at Idaho State from 1996 to 2001 and Air Force from 2001 to 2010.

Early life and education

McInelly was born and raised in Mackay, Idaho and graduated from Mackay High School in 1977.[1] McInelly only began playing organized basketball as a junior in high school when her high school first formed a girls' varsity team.[2] At Mackay High, McInelly helped the Miners girls' basketball team finish in third place in the Idaho A-4 tournament in 1977.[3]

At Boise State University, McInelly played for the Boise State Broncos from 1977 to 1981.[4] McInelly graduated from Boise State in 1982 with a bachelor's degree in physical education and later completed a master's degree in education from Weber State University in 1995.[5]

Coaching career

McInelly started as a teacher and girls' basketball coach at Firth High School in Firth, Idaho and Skyline High School in Idaho Falls, Idaho.[6] McInelly moved up to the college level, first as an assistant coach at Montana State from 1988 to 1991, Pacific from 1991 to 1992, and Weber State from 1992 to 1996.[5]

From 1996 to 2001, McInelly was head coach at Idaho State University, where she posted a 77–62 record. Her 2000 team went 25–5, the best season in school history. The 2000 team went 18–0 in conference play, and won the league title outright. That helped them make it to the NCAA tournament, where they were eventually eliminated by Vanderbilt. Idaho State finished third or higher in the Big Sky Conference in all five of her seasons there. She earned back-to-back coach of the year honors in the Big Sky Conference during her final two seasons.[5]

McInelly then coached at the U.S. Air Force Academy from 2001 to 2010. McInelly went 57–201 in nine seasons, with her best season being in 2005–06 with a 13–15 record (4–12 in Mountain West Conference games), also Air Force's most wins since moving up from Division II to Division I in the 1996–97 season.[5] However, two starting players left the program after the season.[7] She was fired by the Academy on March 29, 2010, with two years remaining on her contract.[8]

In 2013, McInelly became head coach of the Harrison High School girls basketball team in Colorado Springs.[9] McInelly retired after the 2015–16 school year and 30–40 overall record.[10] [11]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Women's Hoops Begin Basketball Doubleheader with Idaho State. Utah Utes. December 30, 2016. December 22, 1998.
  2. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20060320185901/http://www.gazette.com/display.php?id=1314258&secid=3 . March 20, 2006 . Playing field has drastically changed . Colorado Springs Gazette . Wolken, Dan . February 1, 2006 . December 31, 2016 . dead .
  3. Web site: 1976-77 Idaho Prep Basketball . Idahoops . December 30, 2016 . Maier, Dennis .
  4. Web site: Letterwinner List . Boise State Women's Basketball 2014-15 Almanac . 141 . 2014 . 2016-12-31 . 2015-12-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151219222451/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/bosu/sports/w-baskbl/auto_pdf/2014-15/misc_non_event/Boise_State_WBB_Almanac.pdf . dead .
  5. Web site: Ardie McInelly . Air Force Falcons . January 13, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20110711102758/http://www.goairforcefalcons.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/mcinelly_ardie00.html. July 11, 2011. dead. 2009 .
  6. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20001001075300/http://www.isu.edu/athletic/wbcoachbios.html . October 1, 2000 . ISU Head Coach Ardie McInelly . Idaho State University . December 30, 2016 . dead .
  7. Web site: Air Force women's coach not giving up . Ramsey, David . Colorado Springs Gazette . January 29, 2009 . December 31, 2016 .
  8. Web site: McInelly out as Air Force women's basketball coach . Colorado Springs Gazette . Schaller, Jake . March 29, 2010 . December 30, 2016 .
  9. Web site: Shaw . Justin . Girls' basketball: Harrison lands ex-Air Force coach McInelly . Colorado Springs Gazette . 2013-12-02 . 2014-07-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140714213945/http://coloradosprings.com/girls-basketball-harrison-lands-ex-air-force-coach-mcinelly/article/1510354 . 2014-07-14 . dead .
  10. Web site: Harrison High School (Colorado Springs, CO) Girls Varsity Basketball .
  11. Web site: D12 athletic directors spend summer replacing coaches. Carmody, Kevin. Colorado Springs Gazette. June 22, 2016. December 31, 2016.