Kristi Cirone

Kristi Mary Rose Cirone (born May 19, 1987) is an American basketball player who played collegiately for Illinois State University. She is a Point Guard for the Redbirds. A scholar athlete majoring in Exercise Science. Cirone has received many awards including AFNI Athletics Honor Roll: Fall 2005, Spring 2006, Fall 2006, Spring 2007, Fall 2007, Spring 2008, MVC Honor Roll: 2008, MVC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award: 2008.
In 2009, the WNBA's Connecticut Sun signed Cirone to a training camp contract. She made the 11-woman opening day roster. She was waived on June 19 when the Sun signed Tan White.

Cirone was a Four-year starter at Resurrection High School from 2001-2004. She made the 2005 McDonald's All-America Top-100 list. One of only two juniors on 2004 IBCA First Team. 2005 Associated Press Second-Team All-State and 2004 Chicago Tribune Second-Team All-State. Advanced to 2005 IHSA State Finals in the Country Insurance Three-Point Showdown. Led Resurrection to an 85-36 record in four years and is the school's all-time leader in points (2,300), assists (414) and steals (370). She played AAU basketball for the Illinois Hustlers.

Freshman

2006 Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year. Missouri Valley Conference All-Freshman Team member. Led the Redbirds in assists, free throws made, three-point field goals made and tied for the team lead in steals. Four-time Valley Newcomer of the Week (11/21, 12/4, 12/19, 2/27). First player in Valley history to be both State Farm MVC Player of the Week and Newcomer of the Week (12/19). Set ISU freshman season records for three-point field goals made and free throws made. Set ISU record for most steals in a game at Redbird Arena with eight against Wichita State (1/22).

Sophomore

2007 Jackie Stiles Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year. All-Valley First-Team, All-Defensive Team and All-MVC Scholar-Athlete Second-Team selection. Led Illinois State in scoring, field goals made and attempted, free throws made and attempted, assists, steals and minutes played. Recorded 29 double-digit scoring efforts, including 13 outings with 20 or more points. Averaged 5.58 assists per game, the top mark in the MVC. Two-time State Farm MVC Player of the Week (12/11, 1/8). Two-time Prairie Farms/MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week (12/14, 1/11).

Junior

2008 Jackie Stiles Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year, only the fourth player in the history of the conference to win the award in back-to-back years. All-Valley First-Team, All-Defensive Team and MVC Scholar-Athlete First-Team selection. Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American. WBCA/State Farm Honorable Mention All-American. 2008 Jill Hutchison ISU Female Athlete of the Year. Final nominee for the Nancy Lieberman Award. Team captain. Led the Redbirds in scoring, field goals made and attempted, three-point field goals made and attempted, free throws made and attempted, assists, assist-to-turnover ratio, steals and minutes. Led the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.87). Three-time MVC Player of the Week (1/8, 1/15, 2/25). Four-time Prairie Farms/MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week (1/10, 1/17, 2/26, 3/19). Best Western Roundball Classic All-Tournament Team selection. State Farm MVC Tournament MVP. Scored 22 points and had four assists in the NCAA Tournament First Round against Oklahoma (3/23).

Senior

2009 Jackie Stiles Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year, only the second player in the history of the conference to win the award in three consecutive years. (The only other is the awards namesake, Jackie Stiles) 2009 Preseason 1st team NCAA All-American selection. ISU got the Preseason AP Poll 10th rank. She now holds the women's career scoring record for the most points at Illinois State University.

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