Basketball Coach Mike Strong Records Career Win 700
Coach Mike Strong is joined by members of the Lady Royals Basketball Team after Strong recorded the 700th victory of his career.
Veteran University of Scranton women’s basketball coach Mike Strong joined some exclusive company Sunday afternoon.
He recorded the 700th victory of his career, as the Lady Royals defeated Drew University, 73-54, in a Landmark Conference game at the Long Center.
Strong is now the second coach in NCAA Division III women’s basketball history to accomplish this feat, joining the recently retired Phil Kahler of St. John Fisher College (757-171, .816, 1975-2008). In addition, he is one of only 12 women’s basketball coaches in all three divisions of the NCAA to win 700 games. Strong is currently 700-145 (.828) in 29 seasons at Scranton.
Enclosed is a list of significant milestones in Mike Strong’s head coaching career:
Mike Strong milestones:
1st win: 65-61, vs. Loyola (Md.), opening round Franklin & Marshall Tournament, Nov. 24, 1979
100th win: 82-29, at Drew University, January 26, 1984
200th win: 57-49, vs. Colorado College, opening round, Coke Classic, University of California-San Diego, December 28, 1997
300th win: 79-59, vs. Wheaton (Mass.), championship game of the Wheaton Tip-Off Tournament, November 21, 1993
400th win: 60-54, at King’s College, February 15, 1997
500th win: 77-71, vs. ELIZABETHTOWN, LONG CENTER, SCRANTON, PA., February 3, 2001
600th win: 63-59, at DeSales, February 12, 2005
700th win: 73-54, vs. DREW, LONG CENTER, SCRANTON, PA, January 25, 2009
NCAA Women’s Basketball Coaches with 700-or-more wins (all Divisions)
Name Institution(s) Wins (as of Sunday morning)
*Pat Summitt Tennessee 998 (does not include today’s game against Auburn)
Jody Conradt Sam Houston St. 900
Texas-Arlington
Texas
*C. Vivian Stringer Cheyney 815
Iowa
Rutgers
*Sylvia Hatchell Francis Marion 801 (does not include today’s game against Maryland)
North Carolina
Phil Kahler St. John Fisher 757
*Barbara Stevens Bentley 766
*Tara VanDerveer Idaho 739
Ohio St.
Stanford
Kay Yow Elon 737
North Carolina St.
Sue Gunter Stephen F. Austen 708
LSU
*Andy Landers Georgia 719 (does not include today’s game against Alabama)
*Robin Selvig Montana 714
*Mike Strong Scranton 700
*Active Coaches
Mike Strong Tidbits:
Overall Record: 700-145 (.828)
NCAA Championships: 1 (1985)
NCAA Final Four Appearances: 8 (1985, 1987, 1993, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2005, 2006)
NCAA Tournament Appearances: 22 (1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997,1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008)
NCAA Tournament Record: 50-25 (.667)
AIAW Final Four Appearances: 1 (1980)
AIAW Tournament Record: 7-2 (.778)
Overall National Tournament Record: 57-27 (.679)
Landmark Conference Titles: 1 (2008)
Middle Atlantic/Freedom Conference Titles: 16 (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007)
20-or-more win seasons: 21 (1980 {26}, 1981 {27}, 1985 {31}, 1986 {23}, 1987 {31}, 1989 {20}, 1990 {26}, 1992 {22}, 1993 {30}, 1994 {27}, 1996 {26}, 1997 {28}, 1998 {21}, 1999 {28}, 2000 {26}, 2001 {20}, 2002 {25}, 2003 {23}, 2004 {27}, 2005 {29}, 2006 {31}, 2007 {27}, 2008 {21})
30-or-more win seasons: 4 (1985 {31}, 1987 {31}, 1993 {30}, 2006 {31})
All-Americans: 17 (Melanie Bibak-1984; Denise Capoocia-1980; Fran Harkins-1981, 1983; Deanna Kyle-1985; Una Espenkotter-1986; Fran Gabriel-1982; Shelley Parks-1987; Laura Pikulski-1992; Lynne Kempski-1993; Jackie Dougherty-1994; *Jennifer Nish-1996, 1997; Kelly Halpin-1998, 1999, 2000; Kate Pierangeli-2003, 2004; Katie Dougherty-2004; Taryn Mellody-2005, 2006; 2007; Allison Matt-2006, 2007; Kathleen Daly-2008)
NCAA Player of the Year Selections: 2 (Deanna Kyle-1985; Shelley Parks-1987)
Landmark Conference Player of the Year Selections: 1 (Kathleen Daly-2008)
Middle Atlantic/Freedom Conference Most Valuable Player Selections: 9 (Deanna Kyle-1985; Shelley Parks-1987; Laura Pikulski-1992; Lynne Kempski-1993; Jackie Dougherty-1994; *Jennifer Nish-1995-1997; Kelly Halpin-1998; Taryn Mellody-2005, 2006
Landmark Conference Rookie of the Year Selections: 1 (Megan Kopecki-2008)
Middle Atlantic/Freedom Conference Rookie of the Year Selections: 3 (Jennifer Nish-1994; Kate Dougherty-1996; Gillian McGovern-1999)
Middle Atlantic/Freedom Conference Coach of the Year: 8 (1990, 1993, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2005, 2006, 2007
WBCA District 4 Coach of the Year: 3 (2000, 2006, 2007)
Kodak NCAA Division III Coach of the Year: 1 (1985)
*Please note: Mike Strong was on sabbatical when Jennifer Nish earned all-America and MAC Freedom League MVP honors in 1995 under then head coach Sue Serafini.
Personal
Native of: Hawley, Pennsylvania
Current Residence: Paupack, Pennsylvania
Marital Status: Married to the former Linda Kostige. The couple has two children, Chris, currently one of his three assistant coaches, and Scott, and three grandchildren: Ryan, Jake, and Brett
Education: Bachelor of Science degree in physical education from Concord College in West Virginia (1967); Master of Education degree from West Chester University; Master of Science degree in counseling from The University of Scranton
Other Tidbits:
*Served as an assistant men’s basketball coach at Scranton from 1972-1979; served as an assistant under then head coach Bob Bessoir on the 1976 team that won the NCAA Division III championship and finished third in 1977
*Served as men’s tennis coach from 1973-1982 and again in 1990 and guided the Royals to a 91-46 record (.464)
*Served as head women’s tennis coach from 1996-2000 and led Scranton to five straight winning seasons and an overall record of 53-13 (.803), including three Freedom Conference championships (1996, 1997, 1999) and a Middle Atlantic Conference overall championship in 1999
*Is currently an associate professor in the University’s Department of Exercise Science and Sport
