Missouri Southern State University Athletics

Ronnie Ressel was named the head women's basketball coach on March 16, 2017 after serving three years as an assistant and one year as an interim head coach. He will be entering his ninth season as a head coach of the women's program in 2024-25 with a career record of 129-105.

Ressel is entering his 21st season as part of the athletic department at Missouri Southern, having also served as an assistant with both the men's and women's programs. A 1992 graduate of Missouri Southern, he returned to his alma mater for the 2002-03 campaign after spending ten years at Rend Lake College in Ina, Ill.

Year Eight would bring continued success as the Lions surpassed many preseason expectations, climbing the ranks of the MIAA with eight straight wins, four of which where nationally-ranked opponents, and claimed sole possession of first in the conference. The Lions held an incredible 15 game win streak which spanned over 70 days and held the top spot in the conference for over a month.

Ryan Franklin was named the MIAA Freshman of the Year and named a All-MIAA honorable mention after a great start to her collegiate career. Kryslyn Jones was given All-MIAA second team honors after leading the Lions in scoring. Kaitlin Hunnicutt and Brandi Hudson were given All-MIAA honorable mention honors as well for their leadership in the successful season. After the conclusion of the season he now ranks tied for second in career wins with 129.

Year seven would see the continued elevation of the program with an MIAA Tournament Championship, the first since 1996, and making the NCAA Regional Tournament championship for the first time since 1994. Ressel became the fourth head coach in program history to win 100 career games, doing so at Lincoln Feb. 2, 2023 while celebrating his birthday as well. After the conclusion of the season he now ranks third in career wins with 109. 

Four Lions were named All-MIAA with Lacy Stokes repeating as a first-team selection with Madi Stokes, Layne Skiles and Kryslyn Jones named All-MIAA as well, Lacy and Madi were named to the All-Defensive team. Lacy would go on to be an All-Region and All-American selection again while being named the MIAA Tournament MVP and named to the Central Region All-Tournament team as well. Skiles was also named to the MIAA and Central Region All-Tournament teams with Amaya Johns being named to the MIAA All-Tournament team. The team set 11 records beginning with wins in a season, points scored in a season, three pointers made and attempted, defensive rebounds, blocks, neutral site wins in a season and points scored in each quarter.

Year six was the best year yet with Ressel being named MIAA Coach of the Year along with Lacy Stokes being named the MIAA Player and Freshman of the Year to become the first in conference history to win both awards in the same season. Madi Stokes and Amaya Johns were also named to the All-MIAA teams as third teamers while Madi and Lacy were named to the All-Defensive team. The Lions had two named to the All-MIAA Tournament team for the first time in school history as Layne Skiles and Lacy Stokes were named. Lacy became the first freshman in program history to be named All-American, becoming the ninth Lion ever to garner such honor and was the first freshman ever in program history to be named All-Region picking up 1st-team All-Central Region by the D2CCA becoming the fifth Lion ever to earn the distinction.

The Lions won the regular season crown in the MIAA for the first time in school history and made it to the programs fourth ever appearance in the MIAA Tournament Championship game. The Lions also made a return to the NCAA Regional Tournament for the first time since 1996 and finished going 24-7 and 19-3 in MIAA play while setting team records for most consecutive wins overall (17), consecutive wins in MIAA play (15), wins in MIAA play overall (19) and the 24 wins overall is tied for the third most in a single-season. As a team the Lions set new marks for season three's made and attempted going 221-of-701 and tied the game records for both going 14-of-34 against LIncoln (Dec. 18th).

The 2021-22 season saw Madi Stokes become the new career blocks leader and the second Lion ever to register three straight seasons of 30 or more blocks. Madi is the only Lion to ever have 45 or more blocks in consecutive seasons as well. Lacy Stokes set 18 freshman records while also ranking second in assists and assists per game among freshman totals. Layne Skiles moved into the top-ten in career three pointers made and is on pace to set the school record for career appearances next season.

Year five saw a reduction in games played and an all conference schedule due to the corona virus pandemic,  Carley Turnbull earned All-MIAA third team honors and Madi Stokes had a breakthrough season for the Lions being named All-MIAA honorable mention and being on the All-Defensive team after leading the conference in blocked shots. Madi pieced together a 20 point, 20 rebound performance becoming the third Lion to accomplish the feat and then became the first to ever score 30 points and grab 20 rebounds in a game and tied the single-game record for blocked shots with seven. Madi finished the season with 50 blocks the second most in a single-season at Southern and climbed up to a tie for third in career blocks with 83 already in just 51 games played. As a team the Lions finished the season 9-14 overall and 9-13 in the MIAA, clinching a berth into the MIAA tournament for the fifth straight time under Ressel and the ninth straight year and seven Lions were named onto MIAA Academic Honor Rolls.

Year four saw Destiny Owens and Chasidee Owens earn All-MIAA Honorable Mention recognitions. The 2019-20 campaign saw Zoey Campbell shatter shot block records. She posted 62 blocks on the season, 20 more than Brianna Volmer's previous record (42 in 2005-06). She now sits in the top spot in the career record list with 113, four more than Caryn Schumaker's previous record (109 in 1987-91). The Lions finished the season 10-18 overall, 7-12 in the MIAA and a berth in the MIAA tournament.

Year three saw Chelsey Henry and Chasidee Owens both earn All-MIAA honors as Henry was a second-team honoree and Owens picked up honorable mention accolades. Henry finished her career seventh on the MSSU all-time scoring list with 1,296 points after averaging 16 points as a senior. Owens burst on the scene and helped provide a boost down low averaging 11.5 points and 5.9 rebounds. 

In year two, a pair of juniors earned All-MIAA honors as Desirea Buerge was a second-team pick and Chelsey Henry earned Honoable Mention honors. Southern saw an eight-game stretch without a loss in the middle of the season in which the Lions reeled off six wins in conference play, as well as a pair of non-conference wins over the holiday break. The team would also take out perennial MIAA power Emporia State at home as part of a stretch winning nine of ten games.

In year one at the helm, Ressel helped the team to a 12-17 mark and a trip to the MIAA Tournament. The Lions saw both Desirea Buerge and Deb Holcomb earn All-MIAA status and nine different Lions earned a spot on the MIAA Academic Honor Roll. 

During his three years as an assistant for the women, Ressel had helped the team to a 57-27 record and a 38-22 mark in the MIAA. In 2015-16 the team saw two players earn All-MIAA status as Sharese Jones was a first-team selection, while Deb Holcomb was a third-team pick. 

Jones also joined the 1,000 point club on Nov. 24, 2015 in a game against Avila and finished her career in fourth place in points with 1,421. She is fifth in career rebounds (651) while achieving the second-best career free throw percentage (.824) and holding a career field goal percentage of .501. 

For the four seasons prior to his time with the women, Ressel mentored the posts at Southern including 2012 MIAA Player of the Year, Keane Thomann. 

He was elevated to the position of men's Associate Head Coach in 2010-11, and was instrumental with his help in development of the guards and overall program at Southern. Former Lion Skyler Bowlin was the MIAA's Player and Defender of the Year in 2011, and was a four-time member of the MIAA's All-Defensive team. He is the Lions' all-time leader in three-pointers and ranks fourth all-time in scoring and second in free-throw percentage. He was selected to three different All-American teams, while being named All-Region and the Region Player of the Year. He was also a finalist for National Player of the Year. 

In 11 years with the Lions, Ressel helped the team to a 204-145 record, including 11-straight appearances in the MIAA Postseason Tournament. The Lions played in the conference tournament title game in 2005 and again in 2011.

At Rend Lake College, Ressel produced a record of 118-92 and was named Great Rivers Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 1996. A year later, Ressel led Rend Lake to a GRAC co-championship.

Also during his stint at Rend Lake, he served as assistant softball coach and coordinator of the Rend Lake Fitness Center. Since 1997, he had served as Region 24 Women's Basketball Division I Committee Chairman.

Prior to taking over Rend Lake's women's program, he served as assistant men's basketball coach from 1992-95 after serving one season as a student assistant for Lions head coach Robert Corn in 1991-92.

Ressel enjoyed his share of success throughout his playing and coaching careers. A two-year letterman at Missouri Southern, he averaged 6.7 points, 2.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. He led the Lions in assists in both the 1989-90 and 1990-91 seasons and was awarded the Don Gross Leadership Award following his senior campaign.

He and his wife, Pamela, have a son, Kristopher, who has autism and is non-verbal and has competed in three triathlons.

All-MIAA selections through the years
2023
Lacy Stokes - 1st team Guard, All-Defensive Team (Honorable Mention WBCA All-American & 2nd-team D2CCA All-Region)
Madi Stokes - Honorable Mention Center, All-Defensive Team
Layne Skiles - Honorable Mention Forward
Kryslyn Jones - Honorable Mention Guard

2022
Lacy Stokes - Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year, 1st team Guard, All-Defensive Team (Honorable Mention D2CCA All-American & 1st-team D2CCA All-Region)
Madi Stokes - 3rd team Center, All-Defensive Team
Amaya Johns - 3rd team Forward

2021
Carley Turnbull - 3rd team Forward
Madi Stokes - Honorable Mention Center, All-Defensive Team

2020
Destiny Cozart - Honorable Mention Guard
Chasidee Owens - Honorable Mention Forward

2019
Chasidee Owens - Honorable Mention Forward
Chelsey Henry - 2nd team Guard

2018
Desirea Buerge - 2nd team Forward
Chelsey Henry - Honorable Mention Guard

2017
Desirea Buerge - Honorable Mention Forward
Deb Holcomb - 2nd team Guard