Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers men's basketball
Encyclopedia
The Kentucky Wesleyan College Panthers men's basketball team represents Kentucky Wesleyan College
, a private college of less than 1000 students located in Owensboro, Kentucky
. The Panthers, a member of the Great Lakes Valley Conference
, have won eight NCAA Division II championships, most recently in 2001 and dating back to 1966.
Joel Utley has been the "voice of the Panthers" for 51 seasons (including all eight championships), and calls all the Wesleyan basketball games on local Owensboro radio station WBIO.
and its basketball team has frequently represented that conference in the NCAA Division II Elite Eight
. After coming off probation, the Panthers finished 13–14 in the 2007 season. The past season saw the Panthers return closer to their old status as powerhouse, attaining a record of 24–8 and making the NCAA tournament for a record 34th time. Star center Jeff Fahnbuelleh was named GLVC Player of the Year and Coach Todd Lee was named Coach of the Year.
six consecutive years (1998–2003), winning in 1999 and 2001; the team later forfeited its 2003 runner-up status after it was revealed they had let two ineligible transfer players play.
In addition, they won six other championships (1966, 1968, 1969, 1973, 1987, and 1990) and were runners-up in 1957. Overall, Kentucky Wesleyan has won eight NCAA Division II National Men's Basketball Championships, which is the most by any NCAA Division II School.
: George Tinsley
, Sam Smith
, and Dallas Thornton
. One Kentucky Wesleyan basketball player has played in the National Basketball Association
: Corey Crowder
. Crowder played two seasons in the NBA for the Utah Jazz
(1991–1992) and the San Antonio Spurs
(1994–1995) and later played 14 seasons in Italy, Spain, France and Israel. He was a key member of the 1990 NCAA Division II National Championship team. Crowder was a three time All-American performer, newcomer of the year in the GLVC and two-time GLVC "Player of the Year" and the 1991 NABC "Player of The Year" in Division II, which helped get him elected to the Great Lakes Valley Conference Hall of Fame in 2002.
Kentucky Wesleyan College
Kentucky Wesleyan College is a private Methodist college in Owensboro, Kentucky, a city on the Ohio River. KWC is just 40 minutes east of Evansville, Indiana, 2 hours north of Nashville, Tennessee, 2 hours west of Louisville, Kentucky, and 4 hours east of St. Louis, Missouri...
, a private college of less than 1000 students located in Owensboro, Kentucky
Owensboro, Kentucky
Owensboro is the fourth largest city by population in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It is the county seat of Daviess County. It is located on U.S. Route 60 about southeast of Evansville, Indiana, and is the principal city of the Owensboro, Kentucky, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's...
. The Panthers, a member of the Great Lakes Valley Conference
Great Lakes Valley Conference
The Great Lakes Valley Conference is an intercollegiate athletic conference which competes at the NCAA's Division II level. Member institutions are located in the states of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, and Wisconsin....
, have won eight NCAA Division II championships, most recently in 2001 and dating back to 1966.
Joel Utley has been the "voice of the Panthers" for 51 seasons (including all eight championships), and calls all the Wesleyan basketball games on local Owensboro radio station WBIO.
Conference play
Kentucky Wesleyan is a member of the Great Lakes Valley ConferenceGreat Lakes Valley Conference
The Great Lakes Valley Conference is an intercollegiate athletic conference which competes at the NCAA's Division II level. Member institutions are located in the states of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, and Wisconsin....
and its basketball team has frequently represented that conference in the NCAA Division II Elite Eight
Elite Eight
The term Elite Eight, or less commonly called "Great Eight", refers to the final eight teams in the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship or the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship; and, thus, represents the national quarterfinals. In Division I, the Elite Eight consists of the...
. After coming off probation, the Panthers finished 13–14 in the 2007 season. The past season saw the Panthers return closer to their old status as powerhouse, attaining a record of 24–8 and making the NCAA tournament for a record 34th time. Star center Jeff Fahnbuelleh was named GLVC Player of the Year and Coach Todd Lee was named Coach of the Year.
Division II Championship appearances
The Panthers advanced to the Division II championship gameNCAA Men's Division II Basketball Championship
The NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championship is an annual championship tournament for colleges and universities that are members of NCAA Division II, a grouping of schools in the United States that are generally smaller than the higher-profile institutions of Division I...
six consecutive years (1998–2003), winning in 1999 and 2001; the team later forfeited its 2003 runner-up status after it was revealed they had let two ineligible transfer players play.
In addition, they won six other championships (1966, 1968, 1969, 1973, 1987, and 1990) and were runners-up in 1957. Overall, Kentucky Wesleyan has won eight NCAA Division II National Men's Basketball Championships, which is the most by any NCAA Division II School.
Records
| Year | Coach | W | L | T | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-09 | Todd Lee | 19 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2007-08 | Todd Lee | 24 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2006-07 | Todd Lee | 13 | 14 | 0 | |
| 2005-06 | Todd Lee | 7 | 19 | 0 | |
| 2003-04 | Ray Harper Ray Harper Ray Harper is an American basketball coach. Currently, he is the assistant coach for the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball team. Previously, he was head coach at Oklahoma City University and Kentucky Wesleyan College... |
2 | 3 | 0 | Vacated 20 wins & 5 losses |
| 2000-01 | Ray Harper Ray Harper Ray Harper is an American basketball coach. Currently, he is the assistant coach for the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball team. Previously, he was head coach at Oklahoma City University and Kentucky Wesleyan College... |
31 | 3 | 0 | Division II Champions |
| 1999-00 | Ray Harper Ray Harper Ray Harper is an American basketball coach. Currently, he is the assistant coach for the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball team. Previously, he was head coach at Oklahoma City University and Kentucky Wesleyan College... |
31 | 3 | 0 | |
| 1998-99 | Ray Harper Ray Harper Ray Harper is an American basketball coach. Currently, he is the assistant coach for the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball team. Previously, he was head coach at Oklahoma City University and Kentucky Wesleyan College... |
35 | 2 | 0 | Division II Champions |
| 1997-98 | Ray Harper Ray Harper Ray Harper is an American basketball coach. Currently, he is the assistant coach for the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball team. Previously, he was head coach at Oklahoma City University and Kentucky Wesleyan College... |
30 | 3 | 0 | |
| 1996-97 | Ray Harper Ray Harper Ray Harper is an American basketball coach. Currently, he is the assistant coach for the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball team. Previously, he was head coach at Oklahoma City University and Kentucky Wesleyan College... |
21 | 8 | 0 | |
| 1995-96 | Wayne Boultinghouse | 17 | 10 | 0 | |
| 1994-95 | Wayne Boultinghouse | 23 | 6 | 0 | |
| 1993-94 | Wayne Boultinghouse | 23 | 7 | 0 | |
| 1992-93 | Wayne Boultinghouse | 21 | 6 | 0 | |
| 1991-92 | Wayne Boultinghouse | 23 | 8 | 0 | |
| 1990-91 | Wayne Boultinghouse | 22 | 8 | 0 | |
| 1989-90 | Wayne Chapman Wayne Chapman Wayne G. Chapman is a retired American basketball player.He graduated from Daviess County High School and he played collegiately for the Western Kentucky University.... |
31 | 2 | 0 | Division II Champions |
| 1988-89 | Wayne Chapman Wayne Chapman Wayne G. Chapman is a retired American basketball player.He graduated from Daviess County High School and he played collegiately for the Western Kentucky University.... |
24 | 7 | 0 | |
| 1987-88 | Wayne Chapman Wayne Chapman Wayne G. Chapman is a retired American basketball player.He graduated from Daviess County High School and he played collegiately for the Western Kentucky University.... |
23 | 7 | 0 | |
| 1986-87 | Wayne Chapman Wayne Chapman Wayne G. Chapman is a retired American basketball player.He graduated from Daviess County High School and he played collegiately for the Western Kentucky University.... |
28 | 5 | 0 | Division II Champions |
| 1985-86 | Wayne Chapman Wayne Chapman Wayne G. Chapman is a retired American basketball player.He graduated from Daviess County High School and he played collegiately for the Western Kentucky University.... |
22 | 8 | 0 | |
| 1984-85 | Mike Pollio | 24 | 7 | 0 | |
| 1983-84 | Mike Pollio | 28 | 3 | 0 | |
| 1982-83 | Mike Pollio | 22 | 8 | 0 | |
| 1981-82 | Mike Pollio | 27 | 5 | 0 | |
| 1980-81 | Mike Pollio | 16 | 12 | 0 | |
| 1979-80 | Bob Jones | 12 | 15 | 0 | |
| 1978-79 | Bob Jones | 12 | 14 | 0 | |
| 1977-78 | Bob Jones | 14 | 11 | 0 | |
| 1976-77 | Bob Jones | 11 | 14 | 0 | Does not incl 1 forfeit win |
| 1975-76 | Bob Jones | 14 | 11 | 0 | |
| 1974-75 | Bob Jones | 12 | 13 | 0 | |
| 1973-74 | Bob Jones | 20 | 6 | 0 | |
| 1972-73 | Bob Jones | 24 | 6 | 0 | Division II Champions |
| 1971-72 | Bob Daniels | 17 | 10 | 0 | |
| 1970-71 | Bob Daniels | 22 | 8 | 0 | |
| 1969-70 | Bob Daniels | 18 | 10 | 0 | |
| 1968-69 | Bob Daniels | 25 | 5 | 0 | Division II Champtions |
| 1967-68 | Bob Daniels | 28 | 3 | 0 | Division II Champions |
| 1966-67 | Guy R. Strong | 25 | 4 | 0 | |
| 1965-66 | Guy R. Strong | 24 | 6 | 0 | Division II Champions |
| 1964-65 | Guy R. Strong | 9 | 12 | 0 | Does not inc win v. Ft. Knox |
| 1963-64 | Guy R. Strong | 15 | 8 | 0 | |
| 1962-63 | T.L. Plain | 9 | 11 | 0 | |
| 1961-62 | T.L. Plain | 21 | 4 | 0 | |
| 1960-61 | T.L. Plain | 15 | 8 | 0 | |
| 1959-60 | T.L. Plain | 18 | 11 | 0 | |
| 1958-59 | Robert "Bullet" Wilson | 14 | 11 | 0 | Dropped Division I |
| 1957-58 | Robert "Bullet" Wilson | 14 | 10 | 0 | |
| 1956-57 | Robert "Bullet" Wilson | 16 | 12 | 0 | Joined Division I |
| 1955-56 | Robert "Bullet" Wilson | 18 | 4 | 0 | |
| 1954-55 | Robert "Bullet" Wilson | 14 | 10 | 0 | |
| 1953-54 | Robert "Bullet" Wilson | 17 | 10 | 0 | |
| 1952-53 | Robert "Bullet" Wilson | 12 | 10 | 0 | |
| 1951-52 | Robert "Bullet" Wilson | 16 | 7 | 0 | |
| 1950-51 | Robert "Bullet" Wilson | 16 | 7 | 0 | |
| 1949-50 | Robert "Bullet" Wilson | 13 | 10 | 0 | |
| 1948-49 | Robert "Bullet" Wilson | 13 | 14 | 0 | |
| 1947-48 | Robert "Bullet" Wilson | 13 | 12 | 0 | |
| 1946-47 | Robert "Bullet" Wilson | 11 | 9 | 0 | |
| 1945-46 | Robert "Bullet" Wilson | 8 | 10 | 0 | |
| 1942-43 | Robert "Bullet" Wilson | 9 | 5 | 0 | |
| 1941-42 | Arthur Gullette | 10 | 9 | 0 | |
| 1940-41 | George Ditto | 9 | 7 | 0 | |
| 1939-40 | George Ditto | 3 | 12 | 0 | |
| 1938-39 | George Ditto | 3 | 11 | 0 | |
| 1937-38 | George Ditto | 9 | 8 | 0 | |
| 1936-37 | George Ditto | 8 | 7 | 0 | |
| 1935-36 | George Ditto | 8 | 13 | 0 | |
| 1934-35 | George Ditto | 9 | 8 | 0 | |
| 1933-34 | George Ditto | 4 | 12 | 0 | |
| 1932-33 | George Ditto | 8 | 9 | 0 | |
| 1931-32 | Walter "Rip" Van Winkle | 6 | 11 | 0 | |
| 1930-31 | Walter "Rip" Van Winkle | 12 | 7 | 0 | |
| 1929-30 | Walter "Rip" Van Winkle | 17 | 9 | 0 | |
| 1928-29 | Walter "Rip" Van Winkle | 14 | 7 | 0 | |
| 1927-28 | E.R. Miller | 6 | 12 | 0 | |
| 1926-27 | C.A. Webb | 9 | 6 | 0 | |
| 1925-26 | C.A. Webb | 17 | 6 | 0 | |
| 1924-25 | C.A. Webb | 13 | 5 | 0 | |
| 1923-24 | L.G. Mansfield | 10 | 6 | 0 | |
| 1922-23 | Basil Hayden Basil Hayden Basil Ewing Hayden was an American college basketball player and coach. A Kentucky native, he began playing the sport in the sixth grade and, after a year at Transylvania University, transferred to the University of Kentucky to study chemistry and play on the school's basketball squad... |
8 | 1 | 0 | |
| 1921-22 | Jesse Sibley | 5 | 4 | 0 | |
| 1920-21 | Jesse Sibley | 7 | 7 | 0 | |
| 1919-20 | William E. Arnold | 11 | 3 | 0 | |
| 1918-19 | Unknown | 0 | 7 | 0 | |
| 1917-18 | Unknown | 6 | 7 | 1 | |
| 1916-17 | John Cobb | 5 | 1 | 0 | |
| 1915-16 | Unknown | 0 | 6 | 0 | |
| 1914-15 | Unknown | 2 | 1 | 0 | |
| 1913-14 | Unknown | 0 | 6 | 0 | |
| 1910-11 | Unknown | 4 | 1 | 0 | |
| 1909-10 | V.I. Moore | 5 | 3 | 0 | |
| 1908-09 | V.I. Moore | 2 | 1 | 0 | |
| 1907-08 | V.I. Moore | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Notable players
Three Kentucky Wesleyan basketball players played in the American Basketball AssociationAmerican Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
: George Tinsley
George Tinsley
George Tinsley is a retired American basketball player.Tinsley played competitively at Male High School and college basketball at Kentucky Wesleyan College, where he was a member of the teams that won the NCAA Men's Division II Basketball Championship in 1966, 1968 and 1969, being named Most...
, Sam Smith
Sam Smith (basketball, born 1944)
Sam Smith is an American former professional basketball player.A 6'7" forward, Smith played at Kentucky Wesleyan College, with whom he won the NCAA Division II championship in 1966...
, and Dallas Thornton
Dallas Thornton
Dallas Thornton was an American basketball player.Thornton was born in Louisville, Kentucky and played basketball at Male High School there....
. One Kentucky Wesleyan basketball player has played in the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
: Corey Crowder
Corey Crowder
Jonathan Corey Crowder is an American former professional basketball player.A 6'5" guard-forward from Kentucky Wesleyan College, Crowder played 58 games in the NBA between 1991 and 1995. He averaged 2.1 points per game for the Utah Jazz and San Antonio Spurs. Crowder later played in France...
. Crowder played two seasons in the NBA for the Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
(1991–1992) and the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
(1994–1995) and later played 14 seasons in Italy, Spain, France and Israel. He was a key member of the 1990 NCAA Division II National Championship team. Crowder was a three time All-American performer, newcomer of the year in the GLVC and two-time GLVC "Player of the Year" and the 1991 NABC "Player of The Year" in Division II, which helped get him elected to the Great Lakes Valley Conference Hall of Fame in 2002.