Joe Legerski
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Joe Legerski
| image = Joe Legerski in 2016.JPG
| alt =
| caption = Legerski at the Event Center in 2016
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1957|7|24}}
| birth_place = Rock Springs, Wyoming, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| alma_mater = University of Wyoming
| coach_years1 = 1979–1984
| coach_team1 = Rock Springs HS (boys' asst.)
| coach_years2 = 1984–1986
| coach_team2 = Rock Springs HS (girls')
| coach_team3 = Western Wyoming CC
| coach_years3 = 1986–1987
| coach_years4 = 1987–1991
| coach_team4 = Wyoming (asst.)
| coach_years5 = 1991–1998
| coach_team5 = Utah (asst.)
| coach_years6 = 1998–2003
| coach_team6 = Utah (assoc. HC)
| coach_years7 = 2003–2019
| coach_team7 = Wyoming
| overall_record = {{winpct|314|186|record=y}}
| tournament_record = NCAA: 0–1
WNIT: 16–7
| championships = WNIT (2007)
| awards = 3× MWC Coach of the Year (2004, 2017, 2018)
| coaching_records =
}}
Joseph Julius Legerski (born July 24, 1957){{cite news |last1=Arambel |first1=Dave |title=Joe Legerski Enters RSHS Hall of Fame as Winningest Coach in UW History |url=https://www.sweetwaternow.com/joe-legerski-enters-rshs-hall-of-fame-as-winningest-coach-in-uw-history/ |access-date=23 December 2020 |work=SweetwaterNOW.com |date=1 September 2019}} is the retired former head women's basketball coach at the University of Wyoming.
Coaching career
Legerski earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business education from the University of Wyoming in 1979. After graduating from Wyoming, Legerski became a boys' varsity basketball assistant coach at Rock Springs High School, a position he would hold for five seasons. From 1984 to 1986, Legerski was the head women's basketball coach at Rock Springs High School. Following one season as head women's basketball coach at Western Wyoming Community College, Legerski was an assistant with the Wyoming Cowgirls basketball team from 1987 through 1991.
From 1992 to 2003, Legerski was assistant coach at the University of Utah under Elaine Elliott; he was associate head coach from 1998 to 2003. During his time as an assistant, Utah won three conference tournament championships between the Western Athletic Conference (1991 and 1995) and Mountain West Conference (2000).{{cite web |title=Women's Basketball - University of Utah Athletics |url=https://utahutes.com/sports/2016/6/10/sports-w-baskbl-spec-rel-utah-w-baskbl-postseason-html |website=UtahUtes.com |publisher=University of Utah |access-date=23 December 2020}}
Named head coach at Wyoming on May 1, 2003, Legerski was the sixth head coach in team history and is the winningest coach in Wyoming history.{{cite web|last1=Kiggins|first1=Steve|title=UW goes with Legerski as women's basketball coach|url=http://trib.com/sports/uw-goes-with-legerski-as-women-s-basketball-coach/article_afb506b3-df25-5d48-91c6-a6b5b256ee20.html|website=Casper Star Tribune|accessdate=June 1, 2016|date=May 1, 2003}} He led the Cowgirls to ten 20+ winning seasons, 8 appearances in the WNIT, and 1 appearance in the NCAA tournament. He also led the Cowgirls to the only postseason tournament championship in program history, the 2007 WNIT.{{cite news |title=Wyoming's Legerski gets two-year extension |url=https://www.espn.com/ncw/news/story?id=2382930 |accessdate=20 October 2020 |work=ESPN.com |agency=Associated Press |date=24 March 2006}}
During the 2018–2019 season Legerski won his 300th career game as the head coach of the Cowgirls.{{cite news |last1=Settle |first1=David |title=Cowgirls Hold Down Broncos, Give Legerski Win No. 300 [VIDEO] Read More: Cowgirls Hold Down Broncos, Give Legerski Win No. 300 [VIDEO] |url=https://kowb1290.com/cowgirls-hold-down-broncos-give-legerski-win-no-300-video/ |access-date=23 December 2020 |work=kowb1290.com |publisher=Townsquare Media |date=26 January 2019}} He was the first coach in program history to reach 300 career wins. He also took the team to their first ever Mountain West Tournament Championship appearance in the 2018–2019 season.{{cite news |last1=Potter |first1=Davis |title=Despite loss, Wyoming eager to keep 'enjoying the ride' in postseason |url=https://trib.com/sports/college/wyoming/wbb/despite-loss-wyoming-eager-to-keep-enjoying-the-ride-in-postseason/article_97a2154a-42fa-5535-a23c-e5b93187449a.html |access-date=23 December 2020 |work=Casper Star Tribune |date=14 March 2019}}
He won 3 Mountain West Conference coach of the year awards, in the 2003–04, 2016–17, and 2017–18 seasons.{{cite news |last1=Potter |first1=Davis |title=After four decades, it's 'the right time' to retire for Joe Legerski |url=https://trib.com/sports/college/wyoming/wbb/after-four-decades-its-the-right-time-to-retire-for-joe-legerski/article_940f245a-39ca-50fd-b1d9-b32a7ac31f85.html |accessdate=20 October 2020 |work=Casper Star Tribune |date=26 April 2019}}
On April 24, 2019, Legerski announced that he would not be returning for the next season, as he planned to retire from coaching after 16 years.
Personal life
Legerski is married and has three children, including stepson Zane Beadles, a former NFL offensive guard.
Head coaching record
{{CBB Yearly Record Start
|type=coach
|conference=
|postseason=
|ranking
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead|
| name = Wyoming Cowgirls
| conference = Mountain West Conference
| startyear = 2003
| endyear = 2019
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2003–04
| name = Wyoming
| overall = 11–18
| conference = 6–8
| confstanding = 5th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2004–05
| name = Wyoming
| overall = 16–12
| conference = 7–7
| confstanding = 4th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2005–06
| name = Wyoming
| overall = 21–9
| conference = 10–6
| confstanding = 5th
| postseason = WNIT Second Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = postseason
| season = 2006–07
| name = Wyoming
| overall = 27–9
| conference = 11–5
| confstanding = T–2nd
| postseason = WNIT Champions
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = 2007–08
| name = Wyoming
| overall = 24–7
| conference = 12–4
| confstanding = 3rd
| postseason = NCAA first round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = 2008–09
| name = Wyoming
| overall = 16–14
| conference = 8–8
| confstanding = T–5th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2009–10
| name = Wyoming
| overall = 21–12
| conference = 9–7
| confstanding = T–5th
| postseason = WNIT Third Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2010–11
| name = Wyoming
| overall = 24–9
| conference = 12–4
| confstanding = 3rd
| postseason = WNIT Third Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2011–12
| name = Wyoming
| overall = 12–17
| conference = 7–7
| confstanding = 5th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2012–13
| name = Wyoming
| overall = 24–8
| conference = 12–4
| confstanding = 3rd
| postseason = WNIT First Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2013–14
| name = Wyoming
| overall = 20–11
| conference = 10–8
| confstanding = 5th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2014–15
| name = Wyoming
| overall = 16–14
| conference = 10–8
| confstanding = T–5th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2015–16
| name = Wyoming
| overall = 13–16
| conference = 6–12
| confstanding = T–8th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2016–17
| name = Wyoming
| overall = 22–10
| conference = 13–5
| confstanding = 2nd
| postseason = WNIT Second Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2017–18
| name = Wyoming
| overall = 22–11
| conference = 13–5
| confstanding = 3rd
| postseason = WNIT Second Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2018–19
| name = Wyoming
| overall = 25–9
| conference = 13–5
| confstanding = 3rd
| postseason = WNIT Quarterfinals
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Wyoming
| overall = {{winpct|314|186|record=y}}
| confrecord = {{winpct|161|103|record=y}}
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record End
| overall = {{winpct|314|186|record=y}}
}}
References
{{reflist|refs=
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{{Wyoming Cowgirls basketball coach navbox}}{{Mountain West Conference Women's Basketball Coach of the Year navbox}}{{DEFAULTSORT:Legerski, Joe}}
Category:American women's basketball coaches
Category:Basketball coaches from Wyoming
Category:High school basketball coaches in the United States
Category:Junior college women's basketball coaches in the United States
Category:Sportspeople from Rock Springs, Wyoming
Category:University of Wyoming alumni