Jerry Scheve has won more than 500 games in his 30 seasons as head women’s basketball coach at Wilmington College.

Scheve, who has led the Fightin’ Quakers from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) to NCAA Division III, has achieved a winning record 22 times, won seven regular season conference championships, claimed eight conference tournament titles and guided Wilmington to the 2004 national championship – the College’s only team national title.

Six of Scheve’s teams have qualified for the NCAA Division III Tournament including the first appearance during the 1999-2000 season. The Quakers advanced to the sectional semifinals (“Elite Eight”) in 2002 and the sectional semifinals (“Sweet 16”) in 2003. After consecutive Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) regular season and tournament titles, Scheve’s 2004 Wilmington squad advanced to the NCAA Division III Tournament after a victory over Otterbein University to claim the OAC Tournament title. Scheve then engineered one of the most magical runs in NCAA Division III Tournament history, as Wilmington came from behind in five of its six tournament games including defeated No. 1-ranked and undefeated Bowdoin College (Maine) to claim the national championship. He has also guided the Quakers to NCAA Division III Tournament appearances in 2007 and 2008.

Scheve was named National Coach of the Year in 2004 as well as garnering OAC Coach of the Year honors after the 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons. He earned Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) Coach of the Year recognition in 1999-00 as well as AMC Coach of the Year honors in 1991-92. Scheve is also a member of the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame as he was inducted in 2014.

Eleven of Scheve’s teams have won 20 or more games including a 20-4 record and an Association of Mideast Colleges (AMC) conference title during the 1991-92 season, Wilmington’s first as a member of NCAA Division III. His 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2006-07 squads all eclipsed the 25-win plateau.

Scheve has coached 19 All-Americans including Tara Rausch, who was named Third Team All-Decade by D3Hoops.com. His teams have also exceled in the classroom highlighted by Megan Woodruff twice earning Academic All-American honors as well as garnering the prestigious Academic All-American of the Year Award in 2003.

Wilmington has been a member of the AMC, HCAC an independent institution and the OAC in Scheve’s tenure. The Quakers claimed HCAC championships in 1998-99 and 1999-00, and since joining the OAC prior to the 2001 season, his players have earned All-OAC recognition 47 times. In addition, Scheve has finished in the top half of the conference in all but four seasons and carries a winning percentage of 67 percent overall and 66 percent in OAC contests.

Scheve graduated from the University of Dayton in 1971 and later when on to earn an M.B.A. from the University of Cincinnati. Also an Associate Professor in Wilmington’s business department, Scheve resides in Cincinnati.

 

Last updated - April 13, 2020