Bethel Names Doug Porter as Next Women’s Basketball Coach
MISHAWAKA, Ind. – Bethel College Athletic Director Tom Visker is pleased to announce that Doug Porter has been named as the 12th head coach in women’s basketball program history.
“We are very pleased to welcome Doug to our staff as the head women’s basketball coach,” stated Visker. “He has the experience and record of success we were looking for in our next head coach. More importantly, Doug’s faith and character exemplify the pastor/coach qualities we want our coaches to model. He is a great addition to our coaching staff.”
Porter comes to the Pilots with nearly 30 years of collegiate coaching experience with stops at West Texas A&M, Aurora (Ill.), Olivet Nazarene (Ill.), North Central (Ill.), and most recently at Wheaton (Ill.)
In 16 years as a head coach, Porter has amassed 312 wins and won seven regular season conference titles and has made five postseason tournament appearances. In his two years at Aurora, he led his teams to 36 wins and two NIIC conference championships and made an appearance in the NCAA Division III Sweet Sixteen in 1995. He established AU records for most wins in a season (22), most points scored in a season (2,137), and most points scored in a single game (111). He was named the NIIC Coach of the Year each season.
As the head man at Olivet Nazarene for 14 seasons, Porter led the Tigers to five CCAC regular season titles and three CCAC tournament championships. He set ONU records for consecutive home court wins (29) and went undefeated in CCAC play at 17-0 in 2012. His up-tempo offense led the NAIA in scoring seven times in a span of eight seasons and he was named the CCAC Coach of the Year five times. He was inducted into the Olivet Nazarene Athletics Hall of Fame in 2018.
In all, Porter has coached 35 All-Conference players, six Conference MVPs, and 38 Academic All-Americans. His teams hold 16 national statistical records, leading the nation in scoring 11 times and setting college basketball’s single season records at any level in both steals (735) and scoring average (104.1).
“I want to thank President Chenoweth and athletic director Tom Visker, as well as Tony Natali and Chris Hess for giving me this opportunity,” said Porter. “I am humbled to accept the challenge of returning women’s basketball to a position of prominence in the Crossroads League! We have a talented core of young players dedicated to serving the Lord through basketball and I’m excited to begin working with them!”
An accomplished teacher and instructor of the game of basketball, Porter has four publications on learning his up-tempo style of play, including his book Coaching the System: A Complete Guide to Basketball’s Most Explosive Style of Play. He holds a Master’s degree from University in North Texas in Physical Education with a concentration in Sport Psychology.
Year | Program | Overall | League | Postseason | Honors |
1994-95 | Aurora | 22-6 | 8-2 (1st) | NCAA D3 Sweet Sixteen | NIIC Coach of the Year |
1995-96 | Aurora | 14-11 | 9-1 (1st) | NIIC Coach of the Year | |
1998-99 | Olivet Nazarene | 11-22 | 6-4 (3rd) | CCAC DI Coach of the Year | |
1999-00 | Olivet Nazarene | 25-10 | 9-1 (1st) | NAIA DI Round One | CCAC DI Coach of the Year |
2000-01 | Olivet Nazarene | 23-11 | 8-2 (2nd) | ||
2001-02 | Olivet Nazarene | 15-15 | 5-5 (4th) | ||
2002-03 | Olivet Nazarene | 18-14 | 6-6 (4th) | ||
2003-04 | Olivet Nazarene | 14-19 | 5-7 (5th) | ||
2004-05 | Olivet Nazarene | 22-11 | 10-2 (1st) | ||
2005-06 | Olivet Nazarene | 19-14 | 9-3 (2nd) | ||
2006-07 | Olivet Nazarene | 20-13 | 11-1 (1st) | ||
2007-08 | Olivet Nazarene | 24-7 | 7-3 (2nd) | NAIA DI Round One | CCAC DI Coach of the Year |
2008-09 | Olivet Nazarene | 16-14 | 4-6 (4th) | ||
2009-10 | Olivet Nazarene | 16-17 | 6-4 (3rd) | ||
2010-11 | Olivet Nazarene | 27-7 | 9-1 (1st) | NAIA DI Round Two | CCAC DI Coach of the Year |
2011-12 | Olivet Nazarene | 27-5 | 10-0 (1st) | NAIA DI Round One | CCAC DI Coach of the Year |
Totals | 16 Years | 312-196 | 122-48 | 5 Postseason Appearances | 7 Coach of the Year Awards |