DES MOINES, Iowa – Drake University women's basketball head coach Jennie Baranczyk received her Business Record Women of Influence award Thursday, Aug. 10 evening at the downtown Des Moines Marriott. Baranczyk was one of nine women to receive the award which celebrates the work of women who have made a difference in their communities.
 
Baranczyk has integrated her program into the Des Moines and Drake communities since being named head coach of the Bulldogs in April, 2012. The program has completed more than 1,000 community service hours in each of the past four academic years. The more than 4,000 hours have been completed around the two communities. In April, 2017, Baranczyk and her program were recognized by Drake University with the Madelyn M. Levitt Distinguished Community Service award. The award celebrates Drake faculty and staff who demonstrate commitment to volunteerism and community service. Baranczyk is a member of the board of directors of the Young Women's Resource Center in Des Moines.
 
In the classroom, her teams have been exceptional with four straight seasons of ranking in the top 10 of all Division I teams in team grade point average. The 2016-17 team compiled a 3.600 GPA to rank ninth in the prestigious WBCA Top 25 academic team honor roll.
 
On the hardwood, Baranczyk guided Drake to the 2017 NCAA Tournament behind a Missouri Valley Conference Tournament title and outright regular season championship. The Bulldogs went 28-5 record (single-season win total tied a program record), had a program-record and MVC-record 22-game winning streak and the team was ranked nationally for multiple weeks. Drake finished 18-0 in regular season play, the first time a Valley team has gone undefeated in conference action. Baranczyk was named the 2017 MVC Coach of the Year and espnW Mid-Major Coach of the Year for her team's outstanding 2016-17 season. This offseason, she was a court coach for the USA Basketball Women's U19 World Cup Team trials in Colorado Springs, Colo. and was a featured speaker at the USA Basketball Sioux Falls Coach Academy Presented by Nike.
 
Baranczyk has compiled an impressive 99-61 record in five seasons at Drake, including a 61-29 mark in league play. Baranczyk has had nine student-athletes earn 16 all-conference selections, four MVC Freshman of the Year award winners and two MVC Player of the Year winners during her tenure. One of those player of the year winners, Lizzy Wendell, garnered All-America honorable mention honors last season. Starting in 2014-15, the Bulldogs have recorded three-consecutive 20-plus win seasons under Baranczyk. It is the first time since 1999-2002 this has occurred at Drake.