Lonnie Kruse
Lonnie Kruse is in his 27th season as Head Coach of the Sterling College women's basketball program. Under’s Kruse’s direction, the Lady Warrior basketball program has had 25 straight winning seasons, and become one of the strongest women's collegiate basketball programs in the state of Kansas and in the NAIA. Kruse has been named KCAC “Coach of the Year” eight times: 1988-89, 1992-93, 1994-95, 1995-96, 1996-97, 1998-99, 2001-02 and 2003-04. The Lady Warriors have posted fifteen 21+ win seasons, won the KCAC regular season title seven times and qualified ten times for the NAIA national tournament. Under Kruse’s leadership the women have also maintained a high national ranking, ending eleven of the last fourteen seasons in the top twenty-five nationally.
During his coaching tenure, Kruse has produced 49 First Team All-Conference selections,f 39 All-Conference Honorable Mention selections, eight KCAC "Freshmen of the Year", nine NAIA Honorable Mention All-America selections, one Third Team NAIA All-America, three Second Team NAIA All-America selections and one First Team NAIA All-America. Since 1989, Coach Kruse has also seen 27 different players become NAIA All-American Scholar Athletes. His win/loss record at Sterling is currently 560-172 (76%), which places him in the top ten in career victories and winning percentage among current coaches in the NAIA. Kruse is a 1971 graduate of Sterling College where he participated in basketball and track. Kruse graduated from Sterling as its all-time career scoring leader in men’s basketball with 1,540 points. He is currently third on the SC career scoring list. Lonnie and his wife Carol have four daughters; Lisa, Darci, Stacie and Erin. All four of Kruse's daughters played basketball for their father while attending Sterling. Lonnie is also the proud grandpa (PaPa) of Seth, Kade, Lucas Kali and Isaac. Kruse also served as Athletic Director at Sterling College for 18 years and is currently the Associate AD.
EDUCATION
High School: Holyrood H.S. - 1967, Lorraine, Kansas
College:
Sterling College - 1971 Degree: B.S. Major - Health & Physical Education Wichita State University - 1972 Degree: M.S. Major - Health, PE & Recreation
BASKETBALL PLAYING EXPERIENCE
(1967 - 1971) - Sterling College Participated in Basketball & Track BASKETBALL COACHING EXPERIENCE (1972 - 1974) - Norton High School. Head Coach - Boys Basketball (1974 - 1981) - South Barber High School. Head Coach - Boys Basketball (1982 - Present) - Sterling College Head Coach - Womens Basketball
During his coaching tenure, Kruse has produced 49 First Team All-Conference selections,f 39 All-Conference Honorable Mention selections, eight KCAC "Freshmen of the Year", nine NAIA Honorable Mention All-America selections, one Third Team NAIA All-America, three Second Team NAIA All-America selections and one First Team NAIA All-America. Since 1989, Coach Kruse has also seen 27 different players become NAIA All-American Scholar Athletes. His win/loss record at Sterling is currently 560-172 (76%), which places him in the top ten in career victories and winning percentage among current coaches in the NAIA. Kruse is a 1971 graduate of Sterling College where he participated in basketball and track. Kruse graduated from Sterling as its all-time career scoring leader in men’s basketball with 1,540 points. He is currently third on the SC career scoring list. Lonnie and his wife Carol have four daughters; Lisa, Darci, Stacie and Erin. All four of Kruse's daughters played basketball for their father while attending Sterling. Lonnie is also the proud grandpa (PaPa) of Seth, Kade, Lucas Kali and Isaac. Kruse also served as Athletic Director at Sterling College for 18 years and is currently the Associate AD.
EDUCATION
High School: Holyrood H.S. - 1967, Lorraine, Kansas
College:
Sterling College - 1971 Degree: B.S. Major - Health & Physical Education Wichita State University - 1972 Degree: M.S. Major - Health, PE & Recreation
BASKETBALL PLAYING EXPERIENCE
(1967 - 1971) - Sterling College Participated in Basketball & Track BASKETBALL COACHING EXPERIENCE (1972 - 1974) - Norton High School. Head Coach - Boys Basketball (1974 - 1981) - South Barber High School. Head Coach - Boys Basketball (1982 - Present) - Sterling College Head Coach - Womens Basketball
Ellsworth, Kansas
Wife, Carol. Children: Daughters, Lisa, Darci, Stacie and Erin. Grandchildren: Seth, Kade, Lucas & Kali