ST. LOUIS – Saint Louis' Rebecca Tillett was presented the Carl O. Bauer Award on Tuesday, Dec. 5, at the The 54th Jack Buck Sports Awards Banquet at the Missouri Athletic Club.
 
Established in 1978, the Bauer Award is presented annually to the top amateur sports figure in the St. Louis area. Tillett was introduced by SLU Director of Athletics Chris May.
 
In her first season at the helm of the Billikens women's basketball program, Tillett made history, leading the team to its first-ever Atlantic 10 Conference tournament championship and NCAA Tournament berth.  

A three-seed in the conference tournament, the Billikens won quarterfinal and semifinal games against Saint Joseph's and Rhode Island to earn a spot in the tournament championship which ended in a thrilling 91-85 overtime win over UMass. With the championship, Tillett became only the second head coach in NCAA Division I women's basketball history – joining Lisa Bluder (Drake in 2000, Iowa in 2001) – to lead teams in different conferences to a tournament title in consecutive years. 

SLU ended its season facing off against No. 3-seeded Tennessee in its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance, a game that drew the most viewers – 639,000 – of any first-round contest. 

Tillett's championship team also produced three All-Conference selections with Brooke Flowers (co-Defensive Player of the Year, second team, All-Defensive team), Kyla McMakin (second team), and Julia Martinez (All-Defensive team) earning honors for the Billikens.  
 
Tillett is the 20th Saint Louis University representative to receive the Carl O. Bauer Award, which is named in honor of the MAC's former athletic director who brought innovation and inspiration to the Club during his 45 years of service. Former SLU honorees are Yuri Collins (2022), Kevin Kalish (2021), Jordan Goodwin and Hasahn French (2020), Katie Shields (2018), Saadiq Mohammed (2016), Jordair Jett (2014), Dwayne Evans and Jim Crews (2013), Mike McGinty (2012), Anne Kordes (2009), Cheryl Levick (2006), Marque Perry (2003), Doug Woolard (2002), Larry Hughes (1998), Erwin Claggett, Scott Highmark and H Waldman (1995), and Anthony Bonner (1990).
 
The banquet was carried live on KMOX radio.