News
SC Women's Basketball 4th in the Nation Academically for Junior/Community Colleges
11-22-2010
The WBCA Academic Top 25 annually recognizes NCAA Divisions I, II and III; NAIA; and junior college/community college teams across the nation that carry the highest combined grade point averages (GPAs) inclusive of all student-athletes on their rosters for the entire season. The 2010-11 season is the 14th in which the WBCA has presented the standings.
Junior/Community College
Junior/community college leader Seward County, located in Liberal, Kan., is making its seventh appearance (fifth straight) in the honor roll, which features only 12 teams due to the limited number of eligible nominations received. The Saints, coached by Toby Wynn, ended the season with a 21-11 record after losing in the NJCAA Region VI quarterfinals.
No. 9 Lincoln College, located in Lincoln, Ill., made the junior/community college honor roll for the 13th straight season – the most appearances of any team in any division in this year’s honor rolls.
Here is the 2011 WBCA Academic Top 12 for junior/community colleges (only 12 teams are ranked due to the limited number of eligible nominations received):
|
Institution |
2010-11 Head Coach |
Team GPA |
1 |
Seward County Community College |
Toby Wynn |
3.527 |
2 |
Miles Community College |
Lindsay Woolley |
3.432 |
3 |
Hill College |
Aaron Kallhoff |
3.326 |
4 |
Sheridan College |
Frank McCarthy |
3.319 |
5 |
Ellsworth Community College |
Ed Geitz |
3.173 |
6 |
Minnesota West Community & Technical College |
Michael Fury |
3.169 |
7 |
Northwest College |
Janis Beal |
3.123 |
8 |
Columbia Basin Community College |
Cheryl Holden |
3.120 |
9 |
Lincoln College |
Carol Wilson |
3.119 |
10 |
Lon Morris College |
Brenita Williams |
3.089 |
11 |
Jefferson College |
Tonika Bruce |
3.048 |
12 |
Ventura College |
Ned Mircetic |
3.037 |
# # #
About the WBCA:
Founded in 1981, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association promotes women’s basketball by unifying coaches at all levels to develop a reputable identity for the sport and to foster and promote the development of the game in all of its aspects as a sport for women and girls. For more information about the WBCA, visit wbca.org.
The Golden Man
11-22-2010
Only eight years after he retired from coaching, The Golden Dome on the Sheridan College campus was named after him because he left a legacy that still looms large. He is a legend not only in Sheridan, but as one of the nation’s greatest junior college coaches. He compiled 651 wins in his 35 years as Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Sheridan College. His name is Bruce Hoffman. He is more than a coach to people who know him best though; he is a father figure.
Coach Hoffman regularly talks to current Sheridan College players, and his message is not just about basketball. The father figure becomes apparent when he speaks of being a good person and the fact that basketball will fade to the background in a short amount of time. Coach Hoffman advises, “For most of you, basketball will be the main focus in life for the next couple of years, but you must think about life after basketball.” His message is clear; our lives need to be more about what we will do after the game is over. After all, even athletes who play professionally might only do so for five to 10 years. Coach Hoffman asks the players, “What will you hang your hat on after that? How will you make money and provide for those who depend on you?” The coach implores players to work hard in school because that will be the foundation by which they will build the rest of their lives.
Coach Hoffman’s life after basketball did not take him too far away from Sheridan, WY. In fact, he still lives here. He is now the Northern Wyoming Community College District Board Chair. Few people know this area better from an institutional standpoint than Coach Hoffman. He got here by setting a solid foundation early in life of hard work and dedication. He is not a coach who just fell into a good situation right off the bat. He had to work from day one to see success.
Attending Wayne State University, he played his junior season and got his first break when he joined the University of Wyoming as a Graduate Assistant. “I owe the University of Wyoming a debt of gratitude for opening the door into the basketball world for me,” says Hoffman about his time as a GA. After Wyoming, Hoffman took an open job at Evanston High School in Evanston, Wyoming and was there for four years. Little did he know his next stop would be his last in basketball.
He accepted the Head Coaching position at Sheridan College and never looked back as he stayed for 34 years. The closest he got to leaving was when he interviewed for the Black Hills State job but was turned down. When asked why he did not pursue other opportunities outside of BHSU, Hoffman simply replied, “I enjoyed my time at Sheridan College and I got the luxury of coaching big time basketball without all the pressure.”
Eight years into his retirement Coach Hoffman is still very much a part of the Sheridan College experience. He can be seen at all sporting events, but spends much of his free time playing golf at the base of the picturesque Big Horn Mountains.
