Bettendorf, IA – April 24, 2025 - Bettendorf High School Activities Director, Zach Shay, is proud to announce the hiring of Jennifer Shay as the new Head Coach of the Bettendorf Girls Basketball program.
Coach Shay brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of success both on and off the court. For the past two seasons, she has served as an assistant varsity coach with the Bulldogs, contributing to the team’s strong 16-6 overall record and a 13-5 mark in Mississippi Athletic Conference play during the 2024 season. She played a key role in the development of standout player Alyvia McCorkle, who broke the Bettendorf single-game scoring record with an incredible 40-point performance.
Before joining Bettendorf, Coach Shay spent two seasons coaching at North Central College, serving as Head Women’s Basketball Coach in her second year.
A Rock Island native, Jennifer Shay’s playing career is nothing short of remarkable. As a four-year starter at Rock Island High School (1996–2000), she graduated as the school’s all-time leading scorer, earned All-Conference honors three times, and finished among the top five all-time scorers in the Western Big Six Conference. She went on to star at Northern Illinois University (2000–2004), where she was a four-time All Mid-American Conference selection, four-year starter, three-time team captain, and four-time team MVP. She ranks fifth all-time in rebounds (1,010) and tenth in points (1,453) in NIU history.
After college, Shay played professionally in Germany, Finland, and Portugal, and was inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2024.
Coach Shay holds a Master of Arts in Psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Northern Illinois University.
She lives in Bettendorf with her husband Beau, son Michael, and daughters Mya and Maxine.
“We are thrilled to have Jennifer lead our girls basketball program,” said Activities Director Zach Shay. “She brings elite experience, a passion for mentoring student-athletes, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. Her legacy as a player and coach speaks for itself, and we look forward to what’s ahead for the Bulldogs under her leadership.”
