Legendary girls BB coach Jan Conner to coach at Lafayette Jeff

Lafayette Jefferson has scheduled a press conference June
2 to announce the hiring of former Benton Central and Martinsville coach Jan Conner as its new head
girls basketball coach.

Conner declined comment, other than to say she has not yet
resigned her position as a health teacher at Martinsville.

“We have hired a coach and we’re going to announce
that person at 4 o’clock on Friday,” said Lafayette Jeff athletic director
Maurie Denney, who would not confirm that Conner had been hired.

Denney did confirm that the school was hiring a teacher
and a coach, though he added that hire had not yet been approved by the
Lafayette School Corp. board. An LSC board meeting is scheduled for noon
Friday.

Martinsville principal Don Alkire and athletic
director Don Lipps both confirmed that Conner had accepted the Lafayette Jeff
offer, pending board approval.

“Lafayette (Jeff) has a reputation that they would
like to win, and Jan is a proven winner,” Lipps said. “Absolutely, I
think it’s a good fit.”

Conner has a career record of 442-77 in 23 seasons as a
head coach at Warren Central, Benton Central, and Martinsville. She also spent three seasons as
the head coach at Northeast
Missouri State.

The Benton Central graduate coached Martinsville to a 58-1 record and
back-to-back Class 4A state titles in 1996-97 and ’97-98.

When hired, Conner will rank sixth among active coaches in
career wins. The Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame member has not coached a high
school team since 2001.

“I don’t think that she’ll miss a beat in terms of
going back into a program and having a lot of success,” Alkire said.
“Her record speaks for itself.

“Her high level of intensity and high expectations
and a strong work ethic — all of that factors into making her a successful
coach.”

Conner replaces Gary Christlieb, who resigned in February
after three seasons.