CLEVELAND - Kelly Packard stood before the media following her team's 55-51 Mid-American Conference Championship-winning game against Bowling Green State University and could've taken all the credit.
After all, it was under her leadership that the Ball State University women's basketball team advanced to its first NCAA Tournament, won its first-ever MAC Championship and won a school-record 25 games with the postseason yet to be played.
Instead, the first-year coach adamantly acknowledged that Tracy Roller, coach of the team from the 2001-02 season until midway through last season, should receive some credit for her efforts.
Roller, who resigned last season after being diagnosed with manic depression, is the program's winningest coach in its 35-year history with a 118-73 record.
"Tracy Roller had a lot to do with today's championship," Packard said. "That needs to be said."
Associate head coach Lisa McDonald was Roller's assistant and took over the team last season as acting head coach while Roller was away.
Immediately after cutting the Quicken Loans Arena net down, there's few doubts that Roller was close to mind when describing her feelings.
"I can't even describe it right now," McDonald said. "I'm just trying to savor every single minute and enjoy this moment. We worked so hard to get to this point, it's been a dream for these kids for so long and especially with these seniors."
Both McDonald and Packard were interviewed for the coaching position following the 2007-08 season, and when Packard was hired, she invited McDonald back on staff.
Packard said she did her research when applying for the job and knows how integral Roller has been to the recent success of the program.
"Ball State women's basketball, right now, people would still say Tracy Roller," Packard said. "She recruited these players and she started something traditionally at Ball State."
Packard, a mother of two sons, was not about to take all the credit.
"I think that I certainly humbly say that [Roller] had a lot to do with today," Packard said.
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