Stephanie Rich Dacey: a champion’s story

Stephanie Rich was a phenomenon. Stephanie Dacey is a real estate mogul.

The path from one to another is intertwined with basketball.

Rich led Washington to four straight Class 3A championship games, finishing second as a freshman then winning three straight titles from 1999-2001. Maybe more impressive, she was named the MVP of the tournament an unprecedented four consecutive seasons.

The first title was 'wonderful” to Rich because it was an opportunity to do something that had not been done. Title No. 2 involved a little pressure because a title became expected. Getting to end her senior season and basketball career with a win makes the third title unforgettable. Asked to rank them, she could not. They are all No. 1 to her.

'Each team had different players step up at different moments,” Rich said. 'Our second place propelled the Demons to the next three seasons' results.”

There's nothing she wants to forget, except some of the sprints and being yelled at by the coach, but otherwise, she treasures every memory from high school. 'It was wonderful.”

Her focus was on basketball, but she also ran cross-country and track. 'I didn't do it well, but it was an effort to stay in shape and be with friends.”

She played softball as a kid on travel teams and wishes she could've played in high school, but it conflicted with travel basketball and being recruited.

The best part of being a Demon was the support, which came from classmates, teachers, co-workers at the Halcyon house, family, and from the community.

'I really treasure the energy winning brought to the town,” she said. 'Being from a small town is special and they really support their athletics.”

A native of Crawfordsville, Rich was inducted into the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007.

Rich ranks in the state's top 20 for career points (13th with 2205), rebounds, steals and assists. She was the state tournament's all-time leader in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals when she graduated. Only her rebound total of 114 is still first. Currently her total points of 237 is second, total assists of 48 is tied for second, and total steals of 18 is third. Rich was named Miss Iowa Basketball and the Gatorade State Player of the Year in 2001.

To get to the next level an athlete has to be pushed. Rich credits her high school head coach Monte Davis and the coaching staff for doing that.

'They really challenged and pushed in everything they did,” she said. That helped her make the adjustment to college playing but the college schedule, travel, hotels and school work was definitely a different level.

While the local hope was she would play at the University of Iowa, Rich joined the Wisconsin Badgers. It is a decision that was the right one for her.

'I can't imagine my life right now without being at Wisconsin,” she said.

The opportunity for a small town girl to expand her world and be in a new location was the pull of the college in Madison, Wisconsin.

'It was very different and even thougyh I didn't have the success I had in high school, I loved every bit of it,” she said.

Rich was one of the top point guards to play at Wisconsin and was twice named the Badgers' Most Valuable Player. She was a two-time honorable mention All-Big Ten selection and averaged 10.1 ppg as the captain her senior year. During her junior year, Rich led the Big Ten in assists per game at 5.81. She really came into her own as a sophomore when she led Wisconsin in scoring, averaging 11.6. As a freshman, she played in all 31 games on a team that reached the NCAA Tournament.

When she graduated in 2005 with a degree in life sciences communication with an emphasis on business, she ranked 19th in UW history with 978 points, fourth with 383 assists and eighth with 209 steals. Rich is third on Wisconsin's all-time list with 182 3-pointers, ninth in free throw percentage at .750 and 10th in 3-point field goal percentage at .342.

After graduating college, she was as an assistant at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. A small Division I school, Furman had her doing everything from scouting reports to laundry to practicing with the team.

'I loved living in Greenville,” she said. 'I thought I wanted to continue with the college basketball.”

Two years as a Furman Paladin was followed by five years as an assistant coach for the St. Louis University Billikens. During that time she met her husband. Coaching was a path she thought she wanted, but with the travel, it would not have been easy to grow a family.

Now married with a seven month old, James Phillip, Rich's last name is Dacey. She is in real estate with her husband in the St. Louis area. He manages their properties.

Dacey relates real estate to coaching. 'There's a lot of crossover with working with clients and recruiting them, teaching homeowners about the buying and selling process.”

Dacey always thought about real estate and the flexibility it allows such as working when she wants, visiting family and taking care of an infant.

'It's not a 9 to 4 corporate job and I knew I could not do that,” Dacey said. 'It's a lot of fun. It's something that can always carry a conversation. People are always interested in the market.”

Although she loved 'every minute of coaching,” with real estate as a job, Dacey is able to watch a college basketball game and turn it off. If the Badgers or Hawkeyes lose a tough game, it is upsetting, 'but I'm able to sleep at night and I don't have to watch film or go recruit at high school game. I get to watch for fun.”

Relationships that were forged when she was coaching and in her playing days endure.

'Seeing them with their own families and where they are at now is a lot of fun,” Dacey said.

Although she has moved on from basketball, Dacey has plans for her son. 'I think he's going to be tall and as soon as he can start walking, we'll start working on his basketball skills.”

Maybe fans will pack the stands to see her children play the way Demon Nation filled the gym to watch her play.

'Being able to experience that and realizing what experiences high school students now are missing out on breaks my heart,” Dacey said about the limits on attendance because of the coronavirus. 'I hope we can get back to normal very soon.”

State Tournament Results

1998 Class 3A

First Round

Camanche 44, Ballard 41

Columbus Catholic 45, Dallas Center-Grimes 41

Kuemper Catholic 62 Webster City 28

Washington 59, Western Christian 46

Semifinals

Kuemper Catholic 49, Camanche 35

Washington 54, Columbus Catholic 43

Championship

Kuemper Catholic 49, Washington 47

1999 Class 3A

First Round

Atlantic 46, Hampton-Dumont 46

Estherville-Lincoln Central 56, Norwalk 40

MFL-MarMac 54, Vinton-Shellsburg 52

Washington 67, Storm Lake 47

Semifinals

Estherville-Lincoln Central 41, MFL-MarMac 38

Washington 48, Atlantic 36

Championship

Washington 61, Estherville-Lincoln Central 46

2000 Class 3A

First Round

Central Lee 54, Hull Western Christian 42

Decorah 48, Perry 40

Union 52, Norwalk 37

Washington 49, Hampton-Dumont 34

Semifinals

Central Lee 60, Union 52

Washington 50, Decorah 40

Championship

Washington 43, Central Lee 36

2001 Class 3A

First Round

Davenport Assumption 49, Pella 42

Atlantic 49, Denison-Schleswig 35

Union 69, New Hampton 52

Washington 65, MOC-Floyd Valley 59

Semifinals

Assumption 52, Union 50

Washington 50, Atlantic 33

Championship

Washington 52, Assumption 36

Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union current all-time career scoring leaders

1. Elle Ruffridge, Pocahontas Area (2014-17) 2951

2. Deb Remmerde, Rock Valley (1999-2003) 2756

3. Jennifer Jorgensen, SE Webster-Grand (2005-2008) 2708

4. Caitlin Clark, Dowling Catholic (2017-20) 2547

5. Anne O'Neil, Cedar Rapids Kennedy (1996-2000) 2494

6. Jennifer Goetz, Cardinal Stritch (1999-2003) 2433

7. Kala Kuhlmann, Charter Oak-Ute (2002-2006) 2337

8. Margo Muhlbauer, IKM (2002-2006 2304

9. Lindsay Hoehns, Twin Cedars (2005-2010) 2253

10. Hallie Christofferson, Exira (2005-2010) 2247

11. Sara Stribe, Carroll (1994-1998) 2245

12. Nicole Miller, North Linn (2011-2015) 2207

13. Stephanie Rich, Washington (1997-2001) 2205

14. Ashley Joens, Iowa City High (2014-18) 2158

15. Liz Trauger, Twin River Valley (2002-2006) 2115

16. Kelsey Bolte, Battle Creek-Ida Grove (2004-07) 2026

17. Lindsey Meder, Solon (1994-1998) 2057

18. Amber Harrington, Davenport North (2005-2010) 2035

19. Kayla Waskow, Dunkerton (2004-2008) 2031

20. Mary Berdo, Washington (1992-1996) 2026

21. Nina Smith, Waterloo West (1995-1999) 1992

22. Linda Lappe, Winfield-Mt. Union (1994-1998) 1987

23. Jessica Gerhart, Sentral (1999-2003) 1983

24. Tammi Blackstone, Cherokee (1992-1996) 1961

25. Tiffany Reedy, Union (1998-2002) 1942

26. Rachel Yeggy, Highland (2002-2006) 1941

27. Abby Roe, Van Buren (1992-1996) 1923

28. Kary Dawson, Sibley-Ocheyedan (1993-1997) 1922

29. Jamie Boyd, Underwood (2000-2004) 1920

30. Alexis Conaway, MOC-Floyd Valley (2010-2014) 1901

(tie) Christa Subbert, Stanton (2003-2007) 1901

Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union all-time career scoring leaders when Rich graduated

1. Anne O'Neil, Cedar Rapids Kennedy (1996-2000) 2494

2. Sara Stribe, Carroll (1994-1998) 2245

3. Stephanie Rich, Washington (1997-2001) 2205

4. Lindsey Meder, Solon (1994-1998) 2057

5. Mary Berdo, Washington (1992-1996) 2026
6. Nina Smith, Waterloo West (1995-1999) 1992

7. Linda Lappe, Winfield-Mt. Union (1994-1998) 1987

8. Tammi Blackstone, Cherokee (1992-1996) 1961

9. Tiffany Reedy, Union (1998-2002) 1942

10. Abby Roe, Van Buren (1992-1996) 1923

Stephanie Rich Wisconsin statistics

Year GP-GS Min - Avg FGM/FGA Pct 3FGM/A Pct FTM/A Pct OR DR TR Avg PF A TO B S P PPG

01-02 31-3 428 13.8 36-109 .330 20-69 .290 8-21 .381 28 45 73 2.4 27 32 28 9 26 100 3.2

02-03 28-28 1001 35.8 112-337 .332 48-147 .327 54-74 .730 21 90 111 4.0 59 86 96 23 69 326 11.6

03-04 26-26 982 37.8 88-295 .298 52-166 .313 39-51 .765 16 111 127 4.9 37 151 94 24 53 267 10.3

04-05 28-28 927 33.1 91-265 .343 62-176 .352 41-49 .837 10 89 99 3.5 51 114 86 28 61 285 10.2

978 career points