STERLING, Kans., -- Sterling College head women’s basketball coach Lonnie Kruse reached the 600th win of his career Saturday night when the Lady Warriors downed Bethel College 100-55 in North Newton, KS.
Sterling left little to doubt Saturday night as they shot 57% from the field and 58% from behind the three point arc in their lopsided win over the Threshers. Sterling was led in scoring by freshman Megan Patrick with 18 points, while senior Ashley Kraft added 15.
Kruse, in his 28th year at Sterling, has led the Lady Warriors to a 17-3 start this season and a current #7 national ranking in NAIA Division II.
To date, Kruse has an overall record of 600-183 (77%) at Sterling College. Kruse has only had one losing season at SC, which came in his first year at the helm in 1981-82. Since that initial season, Kruse’s teams at Sterling have posted winning records for 26 consecutive years. Kruse has also had seventeen 20+ victory seasons at Sterling.
During his tenure at SC, Kruse has been named KCAC “Coach of the Year” ten times and Kansas Basketball Coaches Association “Collegiate Coach of the Year” twice. The Lady Warriors have won nine KCAC regular season championships and made twelve trips to the NAIA National Tournament reaching the Final Four in 2001.
Kruse has coached 57 First Team All-KCAC players, 45 Honorable Mention All-KCAC players, and had eight different players named KCAC “Freshman of the Year”.
Kruse has also seen ten different players earn NAIA All-America status and since 1989, Kruse has also seen 31 different players become NAIA All-America Scholar Athletes.
Kruse also became Kansas’ all-time winningest collegiate women’s basketball coach last season, he also becomes the fifth active NAIA coach with at least 600 wins.
Lonnie Kruse Year-By-Year Record at Sterling College
YEAR WINS LOSSES WIN %
1981-82 8 10 44%
1982-83 11 10 52%
1983-84 14 6 70%
1984-85 15 9 63%
1985-86 19 6 76%
1986-87 21 6 78%
1987-88 18 8 69%
1988-89 21 6 78%
1989-90 17 9 65%
1990-91 14 13 52%
1991-92 18 8 69%
1992-93 25 4 86%
1993-94 22 7 76%
1994-95 24 6 80%
1995-96 28 1 97%
1996-97 28 2 93%
1997-98 26 7 79%
1998-99 23 5 82%
1999-00 24 7 77%
2000-01 28 6 82%
2001-02 31 2 94%
2002-03 26 6 81%
2003-04 25 6 81%
2004-05 28 6 81%
2005-06 19 10 65%
2006-07 27 6 81%
2007-08 23 8 84%
2008-09 17 3 85
600 183 77%

Current NAIA Women’s Basketball Coaches (Division I & II) with 600 + wins as of Jan. 26 th 2009
Name, Institution Wins Yrs.
Denny Jerome, Waldorf University* 734-336 37
Joanne Bracker, Midland Lutheran University* 715-356 39
Donna Wise, Campbellsville University* 660-283 32
Garey Smith, Grandview College 606-400 27
Lonnie Kruse, Sterling College* 600-183 28
*Only Bracker, Jerome, Wise & Kruse have earned all victories at the one institution.