{{Short description|American basketball player (born 1987)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox basketball biography | name = Kristi Cirone | image = | league = | team = | position = | height_ft = 5 | height_in = 8 | weight_lbs = 136 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1987|5|19}} | birth_place = [[Chicago, Illinois]], U.S. | high_school = [[Resurrection High School (Chicago, Illinois)|Resurrection]] (Chicago, Illinois) | college = [[Illinois State Redbirds women's basketball|Illinois State]] (2005–2009) | draft_league = WNBA | draft_year = 2009 | career_start = 2009 | career_end = 2010 | coach_start = 2010 | coach_end = | career_position = [[Point guard]] | career_number = 10, 25 | years1 = 2009 | team1 = [[Connecticut Sun]] | years2 = 2009 | team2 = [[Apollon Ptolemaidos]] | years3 = 2010 | team3 = PTS Lider Pruszkow | cyears1 = 2010–2012 | cteam1 = [[Missouri Tigers women's basketball|Missouri]] (assistant) | cyears2 = 2012–2018 | cteam2 = [[Judson University|Judson]] | highlights = *3× [[Missouri Valley Conference|MVC]] Player of the Year (2007–2009) *3× First-team All-MVC (2007–2009) *3× MVC All-Defensive Team (2007–2009) * [[Missouri Valley Conference women's basketball tournament|MVC Tournament]] MVP (2008) * MVC Freshman of the Year (2006) * MVC All-Freshman Team (2006) *No. 10 retired by [[Illinois State Redbirds women's basketball|Illinois State Redbirds]] }} '''Kristi Mary Rose Cirone''' (born May 19, 1987) is an American basketball coach and former player. She played collegiately for [[Illinois State University]] and led the school to three national postseason tournaments in 2007 through 2009 while also being named the [[Jackie Stiles]] Player of the Year all three years. After her college career, she played professionally with the [[WNBA|WNBA's]] [[Connecticut Sun]] and in Europe.<ref>{{cite news |author1=Erick Stock |title=ISU's Cirone Set To Join MVC Hall Of Fame |url=https://www.wglt.org/post/isus-cirone-set-join-mvc-hall-fame#stream/0 |accessdate=16 March 2020 |work=WGLT |date=31 January 2019}}</ref>
==Playing career== ===High school career=== Cirone grew up in Chicago<ref>{{cite news |author1=Matt Stout |title=WNBA: Cirone coming home as Sun visit Sky |url=https://www.norwichbulletin.com/x2122537607/WNBA-Cirone-coming-home-as-Sun-visit-Sky |accessdate=16 March 2020 |work=[[Norwich Bulletin]] |date=16 June 2009}}</ref> and attended Resurrection High School from 2001 to 2004 where she was a four-year starter.<ref>{{cite news |author1=Patricia Babcock McGraw |title=Illinois State's Cirone does it all - and asks for more |url=http://prev.dailyherald.com/story/?id=278958 |accessdate=16 March 2020 |work=[[Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, Illinois)|Daily Herald]] |date=13 March 2009}}</ref> She made the 2005 McDonald's All-America Top-100 list. One of only two juniors on 2004 IBCA First Team. 2005 Associated Press Second-Team All-State and 2004 Chicago Tribune Second-Team All-State. Advanced to 2005 IHSA State Finals in the Country Insurance Three-Point Showdown. Led Resurrection to an 85–36 record in four years and is the school's all-time leader in points (2,300), assists (414) and steals (370). She played [[Amateur Athletic Union|AAU]] basketball for the Illinois Hustlers.
===College career=== {{Cleanup|date=March 2020|reason=A rewrite of her college career is needed.}}
====Freshman==== 2006 Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year. Missouri Valley Conference All-Freshman Team member. Led the Redbirds in assists, free throws made, three-point field goals made and tied for the team lead in steals. Four-time Valley Newcomer of the Week (11/21, 12/4, 12/19, 2/27). First player in Valley history to be both State Farm MVC Player of the Week and Newcomer of the Week (12/19). Set ISU freshman season records for three-point field goals made and free throws made. Set ISU record for most steals in a game at Redbird Arena with eight against Wichita State (1/22).
====Sophomore==== 2007 Jackie Stiles Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year. All-Valley First-Team, All-Defensive Team and All-MVC Scholar-Athlete Second-Team selection. Led Illinois State in scoring, field goals made and attempted, free throws made and attempted, assists, steals and minutes played. Recorded 29 double-digit scoring efforts, including 13 outings with 20 or more points. Averaged 5.58 assists per game, the top mark in the MVC. Two-time State Farm MVC Player of the Week (12/11, 1/8). Two-time Prairie Farms/MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week (12/14, 1/11).
====Junior==== 2008 Jackie Stiles Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year, only the fourth player in the history of the conference to win the award in back-to-back years. All-Valley First-Team, All-Defensive Team and MVC Scholar-Athlete First-Team selection. Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American. [[Women's Basketball Coaches Association|WBCA]]/State Farm Honorable Mention All-American. 2008 Jill Hutchison ISU Female Athlete of the Year. Final nominee for the Nancy Lieberman Award. Team captain. Led the Redbirds in scoring, field goals made and attempted, three-point field goals made and attempted, free throws made and attempted, assists, assist-to-turnover ratio, steals and minutes. Led the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.87). Three-time MVC Player of the Week (1/8, 1/15, 2/25). Four-time Prairie Farms/MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week (1/10, 1/17, 2/26, 3/19). Best Western Roundball Classic All-Tournament Team selection. State Farm MVC Tournament MVP. Scored 22 points and had four assists in the NCAA Tournament First Round against Oklahoma (3/23).<ref name="WBCA Honorable mention"/><ref name="Hutchison"/>
====Senior==== 2009 Jackie Stiles Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year, only the second player in the history of the conference to win the award in three consecutive years. (The only other is the awards namesake, Jackie Stiles) 2009 Preseason 1st team NCAA All-American selection. ISU got the Preseason AP Poll 10th rank. She now holds the women's career scoring record for the most points at Illinois State University.<ref name="WBCA Honorable mention"/><ref name=" Illinois State Athlete of the Year"/>
In 2019, she was inducted into the Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite news |author1=Greg Halbleib |title=Cirone to be inducted into Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame |url=https://www.wjbc.com/2018/08/15/cirone-to-be-inducted-into-missouri-valley-conference-hall-of-fame/ |accessdate=16 March 2020 |work=[[WJBC (AM)|WJBC]] |date=15 August 2018}}</ref>
====College statistics==== {{NBA player statistics legend}} {|class="wikitable" !Year !Team !GP !Points !FG% !3P% !FT% !RPG !APG !SPG !BPG !PPG |- |2005–06 |[[Illinois State Redbirds women's basketball|Illinois State]] |28 |389 |34.7 |34.4 |'''80.4''' |2.5 |4.4 |1.6 |0.2 |13.9 |- |2006–07 |Illinois State |33 |541 |42.6 |35.1 |77.1 |3.7 |5.6 |1.8 |0.2 |16.4 |- |2007–08 |Illinois State |33 |552 |'''48.4''' |'''39.8''' |80.0 |3.5 |5.2 |'''2.4''' |'''0.3''' |16.7 |- |2008–09 |Illinois State |'''35''' |'''657''' |46.6 |39.5 |76.2 |'''4.1''' |'''5.8''' |2.3 |0.2 |'''18.8''' |- |Career ||129 |2139 |43.7 |37.4 |78.2 |3.5 |5.3 |2.0 |0.2 |16.6 |} <small>Source<ref name="NCAA Player stats"/></small>
===Professional career=== After going undrafted in the [[2009 WNBA draft]], Cirone signed with the [[Connecticut Sun]] in April 2009 and was the only undrafted rookie to make a WNBA roster.<ref name="pantagraph-2009-09-29"/> She was waived on June 19 when the Sun signed [[Tan White]].<ref>{{cite news |author1=Associated Press |title=Ex-ISU women's star Cirone waived by WNBA's Sun |url=https://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/ex-isu-women-s-star-cirone-waived-by-wnba-s/article_368b27f8-e03f-5312-8e55-74e07aa62e49.html |accessdate=16 March 2020 |work=[[The Pantagraph]] |date=19 June 2009}}</ref> In September 2009, she signed with [[Apollon Ptolemaidos]] of the [[Greek Women's Basketball League|Greek A1 League]]<ref name="pantagraph-2009-09-29">{{cite news |title=Ex-ISU women's star Cirone signs with Greek team |url=https://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/basketball/women/ex-isu-women-s-star-cirone-signs-with-greek-team/article_a460d362-ad78-11de-9187-001cc4c03286.html |accessdate=16 March 2020 |work=Pantagraph.com |date=29 September 2009|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200316182940/https://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/basketball/women/ex-isu-women-s-star-cirone-signs-with-greek-team/article_a460d362-ad78-11de-9187-001cc4c03286.html |archivedate=16 March 2020}}</ref> but left the team a month later.<ref>{{cite news |author1=Randy Reinhardt |title=ISU women's basketball notes: Cirone still trying to catch on with a pro team |url=https://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/illinois-state/isu-women-s-basketball-notes-cirone-still-trying-to-catch/article_80fcb24e-b92e-11de-9187-001cc4c002e0.html |accessdate=16 March 2020 |work=[[The Pantagraph]] |date=14 October 2009}}</ref> In 2010, she signed a training camp contract with the [[Chicago Sky]] but was waived before the start of the season.<ref>{{cite news |author1=Scott Gleeson |title=Catching up with Kristi Cirone |url=http://www.videtteonline.com/sports/basketball/catching-up-with-kristi-cirone/article_acb2051d-3a7d-51a4-a3f6-20eddf629e6c.html |accessdate=16 March 2020 |work=videtteonline.com |date=8 February 2011}}</ref>
===WNBA career statistics=== {{WNBA player statistics legend}}
====Regular season==== {{WNBA player statistics start}} |- | align="left" | [[2009 WNBA season|2009]] | align="left" | [[2009 Connecticut Sun season|Connecticut]] |4||0||5.8||40.0||33.3||66.7||1.3||1.0||0.5||0.0||0.0||1.8 |- | align="left" | Career | align="left" | 1 year, 1 team |4||0||5.8||40.0||33.3||66.7||1.3||1.0||0.5||0.0||0.0||1.8 {{S-end}}
==Coaching career== After serving as a graduate assistant coach at the [[University of Missouri]] from 2010 to 2012, Cirone was hired as the head coach of the [[Judson University]] women's basketball team.<ref>{{cite news |title=Cirone, Cotton to lead Judson basketball programs |url=https://www.dhbusinessledger.com/article/20120517/sports/705179544/ |accessdate=16 March 2020 |work=dhbusinessledger.com |date=17 May 2012}}</ref> She left the school in 2018 as the third-winningest coach in program history in both wins, 82, and winning percentage (.439).<ref>{{cite news |title=Kristi Cirone Resigns As Women's Head Basketball Coach at Judson University |url=https://whoopdirt.com/kristi-cirone-resigns-womens-head-basketball-coach-judson-university/ |accessdate=16 March 2020 |work=whoopdirt.com |date=17 May 2018}}</ref> She currently a head coach of the [[Ridgewood High School (Illinois)|Ridgewood HS]] girls basketball team since 2018.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ridgewood launches boys volleyball program with an alumna at the helm |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/norridge/sports/ct-nhh-ridgewood-boys-volleyball-new-coaches-tl-0628-story.html |accessdate=14 November 2021 |work=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=23 June 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Kristi Meade profile at the Ridgewood High School Athletics Site |url=https://www.d234.org/directory/kristi-meade/ |accessdate=14 November 2021 |work=www.d234.org }}</ref>
== References == <references>
<ref name="WBCA Honorable mention">{{cite web|last1=|first1=|title=POINTS OF PRIDE|date=|url=http://www.goredbirds.com/sports/2014/4/24/his_trad_pride_points.aspx?path=history_trad|website=www.goredbirds.com|accessdate=3 Oct 2015}}</ref>
<ref name="Hutchison">{{cite web|last1=|first1=|title=ACADEMIC AWARDS|date=|url=http://goredbirds.com/sports/2014/4/24/academics_awards.aspx?path=general|website=goredbirds.com|accessdate=3 Oct 2015}}</ref>
<ref name=" Illinois State Athlete of the Year">{{cite web|last1=|first1=|title=CIRONE, ELDRIDGE NAMED 2008-09 ISU ATHLETES OF THE YEAR|date=August 16, 2009|url=http://goredbirds.com/news/2009/8/16/081609aaa_197.aspx?path=wbball|website=goredbirds.com|accessdate=3 Oct 2015}}</ref>
<ref name="NCAA Player stats">{{cite web|last1=|first1=|title=Women's Basketball Player stats|date=|url=http://web1.ncaa.org/stats/StatsSrv/careersearch|website=NCAA|accessdate=2 October 2015}}</ref>
</references>
==External links== *[https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/players/c/cironkr01w.html WNBA statistics] at [[Basketball Reference]] *[https://basketball.usbasket.com/player/Kristi-Cirone/WNBA/Chicago-Sky/94653?Women=1 Profile] at [[Eurobasket.com]] {{Missouri Valley Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Year navbox|state=collapsed}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cirone, Kristi}} [[Category:1987 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:American women's basketball players]] [[Category:Basketball players from Chicago]] [[Category:Connecticut Sun players]] [[Category:Illinois State Redbirds women's basketball players]] [[Category:Point guards]] [[Category:Undrafted WNBA players]] [[Category:American women's basketball coaches]] [[Category:Basketball coaches from Illinois]] [[Category:Missouri Tigers women's basketball coaches]] [[Category:Judson Eagles]]