More March Madness memories: Four Fighting Scots teammates coach squads to state

by Barry McNamara

Monmouth, Ill. (03/17/2026) — It seems that every year, Monmouth College puts a stamp on March Madness, from the children of alumni shining in starring roles on the hardwood, to last year, when athletic director Mike Oblinger '05 enjoyed a run to the NCAA tournament at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington.

But the most common Monmouth connection to basketball's postseason is former players experiencing success as coaches, and that was the case again this year, as four Fighting Scots teammates from a decade ago helped their schools reach the Final Four in the Illinois High School Association's girls state basketball tourney, which was played at Redbird Arena on the campus of Illinois State University.

For the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons at Monmouth, Tiffany Churchill, Kim Coleman, Jacquice Cooper and Alyssa Riley were teammates on Scots squads coached by Melissa Jones Bittner '03 that went a combined 39-11, advancing to the Midwest Conference championship game both years.

This spring, teams coached by Coleman and Riley met in the semi-final of the Class 3A tournament, with Cooper serving as an assistant coach for Coleman.

"Joc, that's my right hand," said Coleman of the assistant who's been with her six of the eight seasons she's coached, primarily working with Trinity's post players. "That's somebody I can't do without."

Coleman's squad is also assisted by former Monmouth player Arthur Jefferson '13.

In Class 1A, Churchill served as an assistant as Brown County reached the Final Four, placing third with a 32-4 record. Riley's Glenwood Titans topped Coleman's Trinity Blazers before falling in the 3A title game. Trinity won the third-place game to finish 26-11, while Riley's squad went 30-5.

Head-to-head in Normal

Riley and Coleman crossed paths two years ago at an awards ceremony where each received the top coaching honor in their region. Riley's Glenwood team had a run to the 3A title game that year, too, falling to a Lincoln team led by Kloe Froebe, the daughter of Monmouth alums Kent '00 and Kari Walters Froebe '99.

"Two years ago, both of us were Coach of the Year in our region, and things got rekindled at the banquet," said Riley. "We've stayed more in touch since then, and we texted pretty frequently this year."

That ramped up as the stakes grew higher in the state tournament.

"I don't look at the brackets, which is as much for my mental sanity as anything," said Riley, "but after we both won our supersectionals, I texted Kim and checked in with her."

Coleman, on the other hand, had been looking ahead to a potential meeting with Glenwood even before the season began, even scheduling a neutral site game in Indiana against the Springfield-area power. Riley's squad won that Jan. 10 matchup 54-50.

Playing a tough team so close was a good sign for Coleman's squad, but during what she called an "up and down" season, injuries took a toll, culminating with Trinity finishing one game with only four players on the floor. In the next contest, which Coleman described as a likely "chill kinda game," her team squandered a late 15-point lead and lost on a viral buzzer-beater. But to their credit, the Blazers rallied and did not lose again until reaching the Final Four.

Although it wasn't planned, Riley and Coleman also had the chance to chat when they both happened to take their teams to Olive Garden for a meal in advance of their semi-final.

"Great minds think alike," quipped Coleman.

When game time finally arrived, their Monmouth connection was definitely felt.

"Instead of just a quick handshake at midcourt, it was a longer hug," said Riley.

"It was a special moment," said Coleman. "It's hard, because you're rooting for your friend and teammate, but you also want to beat each other. She gave me a big hug and wished me good luck. And she told me to just be in the moment and be present for my team."

The game itself went Glenwood's way, as the Titans jumped out to leads of 14-5 after one quarter and 28-11 at halftime. Coleman kept her team fighting, and a 13-1 run helped close the gap, but Riley's team won 46-35.

"Afterward, I know Kim was down, but I told her to be proud that she'd brought a team to the Final Four," said Riley, who also chipped in a scouting report on Trinity's opponent for the third-place game.

This year's state title tilt was Riley's 100th game at Glenwood, and she's posted 79 wins over those three seasons. Previously, she was the head coach at her high school alma mater, Warrensburg-Latham. In all, her record is 152-107 over nine years.

Coleman's record at Trinity is 144-101, including four straight 20-win campaigns. She has plans to steer the Blazers back to state next year, when many of her players return.

"We were a young team," she said. "We know what it takes to get there, now we have to figure out what it takes to win."

Monmouth moments

When looking back on her time as a Fighting Scot, Riley said she was drawn to Monmouth by the strong reputation of its education department, as she knew she wanted to be a teacher and coach. Some of her top hardwood highlights occurred her freshman year, as the Scots took a Christmas break trip to California, playing a pair of strong opponents that toughened them up for the MWC tournament, which Monmouth won to punch its first-ever ticket to the NCAA tourney.

Churchill, who was a roommate of Riley's, agreed that was a highlight of her Fighting Scots' experience, adding, "My time at Monmouth allowed me to build relationships that I still value today, including staying close with many of the girls I had the opportunity to play basketball with."

"I don't have any regrets," said Riley, who teaches high school English when she's not directing one of the top girls basketball programs in the state.

Coleman transferred from Midwest Conference rival Lake Forest and, after watching from the sidelines for a stretch, played 47 of a possible 50 games, earning a starting role her senior year, when she averaged 5.9 points and 5.0 rebounds to go with 52 steals and a team-high 98 assists.

A passion for coaching

In one of her early games for the Scots, she made a pair of clutch free throws down the stretch to hold off the Foresters on their home court.

"That was a full circle moment," said Coleman, who listed Monmouth's high-intensity practices as another highlight. "Practices were very competitive. We got after it every single day. I talked a lot of smack and embraced my role as a leader and a communicator. I think that's translated to me being a coach."

Leading a team from the sidelines is something Coleman had envisioned since being sidelined herself by a pair of torn ACLs. Even in her down time at Monmouth, she looked for coaching opportunities, asking Bittner to help with the JV team and lending her services, for free, to Monmouth-Roseville High School's girls team.

"I love coaching, and that's where it all began," said Coleman, who also teaches P.E. and health at Trinity.

Churchill feels the same.

"I've always had a passion for working with kids and helping them grow, both in the classroom and through athletics," she said. "Sports played a big role in my life growing up, and I had coaches who made a lasting impact on me. That inspired me to want to do the same for others."

At Brown County, Churchill teaches reading and also works with the softball team.

"Coaching allows me to stay connected to the game I love while helping student-athletes build confidence, discipline and teamwork," she said. "Being both a teacher and a coach gives me the opportunity to influence students in different ways and support their growth both academically and athletically."

NOTES: In all, that 2013-14 team had at least seven players go into coaching basketball. In addition to the aforementioned quartet, Monet Mailey currently leads the boys team at Horizon Science-Belmont and Chelsea Gross Schoop and Kristi Ragan Mitacek are former high school coaches. An eighth player, Emily Siefken Garrett, is the director of volleyball operations at the University of Missouri. There's still time to see Kloe Froebe in action this year, as her Colorado State Rams will open NCAA tournament play Friday against Michigan State. The 5-foot-10 guard is leading CSU in rebounding this year (6.8) while scoring at a 10.7 clip, good for third on the team.

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