Three years ago, the thought of winning consecutive conference titles was merely a distant dream for Warrenton native Jill Sutton. Altered by circumstances out of her control, Sutton’s freshman season of college basketball had not gone as envisioned. She had chosen William Woods University in hopes of joining a successful program, but her team had barely fielded enough players to make it through the season. The arrival of a new coach and an aspiring class of recruits transformed the situation. Sutton took over as a co-captain during her sophomore season, guiding a crew of just four returning Owls. Three seasons later she has a pair of conference crowns and plenty of personal accolades to her credit. “We got a new coach my sophomore year and did a total 360,” recalled Sutton. Sutton recently concluded her collegiate career at William Woods, despite having entertained the thought of transferring after her freshman year. The loyalty paid off, as Sutton was the only member of this year’s team to start all 35 games and helped lead the Fulton school to its first-ever 30-win season. Not even coach Dan Chapla imagined the journey the Owls were about the embark on when he arrived on campus. “I didn’t envision the success we had over the next three seasons,” asserted Chapla. “I could just promise some stability in the program.” The Owls finished 30-5 during Sutton’s senior season, upsetting Biola University in the opening round of the NAIA National Tournament in Jackson, Tn. It was the program’s inagural victory in the tournament and one of Sutton’s fondest sports memories. The road to glory certainly had it adverse moments along the way. Sutton had graduated high school in 2007 as Warrenton’s all-time leading scorer among female basketball players. But a year later, she was reevaluating her future and considering the option of transferring. She entered her freshman season at William Woods with high expectations, anxious to be part of a program on the rise. As the year unfolded, the Owls’ roster dwindled from 14 to five. Sutton says the team manager would even dress as a possible substition option. “Things just didn’t go well that first year,” recalled Sutton. “We weren’t sure who the coach was going to be (after that), and I wanted to play for a program that was heading in a successful direction.”It was not the ideal situation for a first-year college basketball player. While she saw the opportunity to contribute immediately, it wasn’t for the reasons Sutton had envisioned. She led the Owls in scoring with 13.4 and earned American Midwest All-Conference honors during a 4-23 season just would just as soon forget ever happened. “There wasn’t a real good team chemistry, and it was kind of a depressing season,” said Sutton. “It was a pretty chaotic freshman year.” When current head coach Chapla arrived on campus during the summer of 2008, he says he had to re-recruit the four underclassmen that remained. Chapla was able to bring in Division I transfer Rachel Baker, who became a program-changing type player. With forwards Baker and Justine Gerber joining Sutton, a perimeter threat, the Owls became a perrenial threat in the conference. “I took on a huge leadership role starting my sophomore year as a co-captain,” said Sutton. But Sutton’s scoring role began to fade, as capable players fell into place around her. Her drop to 8.9 points per nights didn’t phase Sutton, because it meant the pressure had been removed from her shoulders. She recognized and tried to focus on her strengths. “I’m more of the type to drive to the basket,” said Sutton.Chapla says there is one category Sutton excels in more than any other player he has coached. “Jill is probably as good at getting to the line as any player I’ve ever coached,” complimented Chapla.When she did reach the charity stripe, she typically made the most of her opportunities. Sutton finished her career in fourth-place all-time at the school, with 436 free throws made. William Woods claimed the AMC conference and tournament titles during Sutton’s sophomore and junior seasons. “That senior class accomplished a lot, and Jill was a big reason for that,” said Chapla. The crew went 80-20 over the course of three seasons.While Sutton’s point contribution dropped from her freshman year, she says other elements of her game picked up. “One thing that I became better at transition into college was defense,” said Sutton. “In high school I was more of an average defender. I just kind of got by. When I got to college, I realized all the other girls are just as good as me and you have to play defense to get by as well.” Chapla says it wasn’t all up to Sutton to score when Baker arrived, as it had been during her freshman campaign. A more balanced team led to increased wins and pressure off of Sutton’s shoulders. Over the course of the next three seasons, Sutton enjoyed success that had seemed unimaginable during her first miserable year on campus. She closed out her career in 17th place on William Wood’s all-time scoring list, logging 1,156 points. “I felt like I was a consistent player,” said Sutton. “Coach could always trust me to make good decisions, and that’s probably why I played so many minutes.”Looking back, she is grateful she stuck it out and gave the program a second chance. “The first time we won the conference tournament my sophomore year we played at home and got to cut down the nets,” said Sutton. “I still have my pieces of the net. The gym was so crowded that game. That’s something I will never forget.” Now that her days of organized basketball have come to a conclusion, Sutton is preparing to put her degree in Elemenatary Education to use. She also aspires to get involved in coaching and says a return to the sidelines in Warrenton is an appealing thought. Sutton is recognized as one of the most decorated players in the history of Warrenton High School, and her career mark of 1,519 points still stands four years after her departure. “That’s something I’m extremely proud of,” said Sutton. “My little sister is going to be a freshman and she jokes with me that she is going to break my record. If anyone is going to break it, I would want it to be her.”