Slone Set to Receive Three-Year Contract Extension
November 8, 2022 | Women's Golf
News
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- University of Illinois Athletic Director Josh Whitman announced today a contract extension for head women's golf coach Renee Slone. The extension, which will be considered by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees at its November 17th meeting, will keep Slone leading the Fighting Illini through at least the conclusion of the 2025-26 season.
"I am thrilled to see Renee continue leading the program that she has helped shape since her arrival as a player more than 30 years ago," said Whitman. "Renee's commitment to the holistic development of her student-athletes has always been without peer, and in recent years, her years of hard work have begun to yield truly impressive on-course results. I couldn't be happier for Renee and for our program, and I am excited to watch the team's continued ascent among the best in the Big Ten and the NCAA."
Former Fighting Illini legend Coach Slone enters her 17th season as head coach of the Illinois women's golf team in 2022-23. Formerly Renee Heiken, Coach Slone played for the Illini from 1990-93 and is the most decorated golfer in Illinois history.
Illinois has achieved new heights under Coach Slone, who was the 2019 Big Ten Coach of the Year. Illinois reached the NCAA Championships for the first time ever in 2019 after finishing fifth at the East Lansing Regional, the highest regional finish in program history. The Illini's second-place finishes at the Big Ten Tournament in 2018 and 2019 were the best conference finishes since a second-place finish in 1976. Coach Slone has led Illinois to seven of its nine NCAA Regional appearances, including each of the last five tournaments.
At Illinois, Slone's student-athletes have found individual success on the course, including 19 student-athletes awarded All-Big Ten, 20 Big Ten Golfers of the Week, and 10 individual golf tournament winners. Slone also garnered her own honors by being inducted into both the National Golf Coaches Association (now WGCA) Players Hall of Fame and the Greater Peoria Sports Hall of Fame. In 2017, she was an inaugural member of the Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame. Slone earned the 2018-19 Big Ten Coach of the Year award after leading the Illini to their best finish in program history.
During this current season, the Illini have posted the second-lowest 54-hole tournament score total and the second and third-lowest team rounds in program history. Individually, Crystal Wang carded the lowest 54-hole total in program history (-14, Illini Women's Invitational at Medinah, 10/10-11/22) and has finished in the Top 10 in four-straight events to close out the fall schedule. On October 24, Wang was named to the Final Fall ANNIKA Award Watch List, an award that is annually given to the top female Division 1 collegiate golfer, becoming the first player in program history to earn that distinction.
While Slone's teams have had success on the course, they also perform in the classroom, with 66 student-athletes placed on the Academic-All Big Ten Team, 42 earning WGCA All-Scholar recognition, 25 Big Ten Distinguished Scholars and current Illini Crystal Wang earning the program's first-ever CoSIDA Academic All-District accolade. The Illini also earned a top spot on the WGCA's academic top 25 list in 2021-22 with a 3.896 GPA, the seventh-best in the nation and No. 2 among Power-5 programs.
"I am grateful for the faith and belief Josh Whitman has in me to continue to lead our women's golf program," Slone said. " I am excited to guide Illinois Women's Golf into our next chapter as we build upon our successes of the past several years and forge ahead to new heights."
" The University of Illinois has had a significant role in my life and I am fortunate to assist our student-athletes on their journey."
