Anne O'neil

Anne O’Neil joined the Iowa Lightning coaching staff in 2008.  An Iowa High School Girl’s Basketball Hall of Fame member, she is one of the most accomplished players ever in the history of Iowa girl’s high school basketball.  While at Class 4A Cedar Rapids Kennedy High School, O’Neil scored 2,494 points for Coach Dennis Rohloff’s Cougars.  She became the first freshman in the 78-year history of Iowa basketball to lead the state in scoring (26.3 ppg) also lead the state in scoring her sophomore, junior and senior years.  Her senior year O’Neil averaged a double-double with 30.9 points and 11.9 assists per game. 

A first team Parade All-American, O’Neil originally signed with the University of Illinois where she started her freshman year.  She later transferred to Iowa State University and played three seasons with Coach Bill Fennelly and the Cyclones.  While at ISU, O”Neil scored over 1,000 points in her Cyclone career and received All Big 12 and All American honors.  Upon graduation, O’Neil was drafted by the WNBA Sacramento Monarchs but a career ending foot injury prohibited her from extending her basketball playing days

Following her time in the WNBA, O’Neil became one of the youngest assistant coaches in the NCAA Division 1 ranks when she joined the Eastern Illinois women’s basketball program.  O’Neil coaches two seasons with Eastern Illinois and has since returned home to Iowa to marry her college sweetheart, Zach Butler.  The two will be married in late May.

The Iowa Lightning organization is thrilled to have Anne O’Neil join our coaching ranks for another season of Iowa Lightning basketball.  Anne’s knowledge of the game, enthusiasm and genuine love for the game will be a huge assess to the Iowa Lightning organization.