Recognized for her genuine confidence and ability to energize those around her, Jennie Baranczyk is a four-time award-winning Division I Head Coach committed to player empowerment on and off the court. She is currently leading the University of Oklahoma Women’s Basketball team to success, and has gained national attention for her efforts.

Throughout her almost 20-year coaching career, Baranczyk led her teams to seven postseason appearances in Division I NCAA and WNIT tournaments and was named the 2017 and 2018 Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year and 2017 ESPN Mid-Major Coach of the Year.

As the current Head Coach at the University of Oklahoma, Baranczyk steered the Lady Sooners to the NCAA Tournament in her first season and is accelerating the national presence of the winning program. Previously, as the Head Coach at Drake University, Baranczyk built a culture of excellence and accomplished the most conference victories in program history. Beginning her career as an Assistant Coach, Baranczyk influenced top programs at the University of Colorado, Marquette University and Kansas State University.

In addition to having a notable coaching career, Baranczyk was a standout student athlete at University of Iowa. She won the Big Ten’s Medal of Honor for academic and athletic excellence upon graduating from Iowa in 2004. Baranczyk possesses a genuine love for the game; yet, beyond winning, she inspires through empowerment.

As a coach, Baranczyk’s unique style promotes the diversity of decision-making by empowering players to think independently, take bold action, and become resilient contributors. And it is through her creative approach to basketball, and ultimately life, that she connects with her players, igniting their own confidence to be their most authentic selves. 

Baranczyk values utility, and she leads by doing. As a collaborative, inclusive leader she is conscious about how she shows up for her team and ignites them to be risk-takers. As a mother of three and thought leader to many, Baranczyk aims to promote action and responsibility while creating space for others to fearlessly pursue progress.