Cedarville University Men's Basketball

NAIA Division II Final Ranking - 18th

23-8 (.742) Overall
10-4 (.714) American Mideast Conference South Division

Upcoming: Season Completed

17th Annual NAIA Division II National Tournament [INFO]

Beschta joins staff as assistant coach

CEDARVILLE, Ohio (7-22-2008) - Cedarville University head men's basketball coach Pat Estepp has announced that Jason Beschta has joined his staff as an assistant coach. The 2001 Bryan College graduate joins the Yellow Jackets with seven years of collegiate coaching experience.

Beschta spent the previous four seasons as an assistant at NCAA Division II Minnesota-Moorhead. He was involved in all facets of the program including recruiting and scouting.

Beschta served as a graduate assistant at NCAA Division I Baylor University where he earned his master's degree in sports pedagogy. He started his coaching career with a one-year stint as an assistant at his alma mater.

Beschta, who is single, is a 2001 graduate of Bryan with a degree in exercise science. He played four years for the Lions and was a three-time Team MVP. A two-time NAIA All-American, Beschta graduated as the school's second all-time leading scorer with 2,132 points. He played his high school basketball at Worthington Christian High School near Columbus under former CU head coach Ray Slagle.

Kohavi signs with Yellow Jackets

Pawnee, Ill. native Daniel Kohavi (seated right) has signed a letter of intent to attend Cedarville University and play basketball for the Yellow Jackets. The 6-foot-3 guard averaged 23 points per game at Pawnee High School and was named to the AP Class A All-State First Team. Kohavi was a two-time all-state performer as well as a four-time all-county and all-conference selection. Daniel is seated next to former Yellow Jacket head coach Ray Slagle and is joined by new CU head coach Pat Estepp (standing left) and assistant coach Andy Allgrim.

Foote coming to Cedarville

Castle Rock, Colo. product Austin Foote (front row, right) is seated next to former Yellow Jacket head coach Ray Slagle after signing a letter of intent to continue his basketball career at Cedarville University. A six-foot guard, Foote averaged a team-leading 16 points per game for Class 5A state runner-up Thunder Ridge High School while earning all-conference first team and all-state honorable mention honors. Standing (from left-to-right) are new CU head coach Pat Estepp and assistant coach Andy Allgrim.

Pat Estepp

Pat Estepp named men's basketball coach

CEDARVILLE, Ohio (5-14-2008) - Longtime assistant Pat Estepp has been selected the new head men's basketball coach at Cedarville University. He takes over for Ray Slagle, who resigned last month to return to high school coaching in North Carolina.

Estepp, a 1997 graduate of Cedarville College, was an assistant coach for all eight years of Slagle's successful tenure with the Yellow Jackets. CU won 177 games during that timespan, averaged 24.1 wins over the past seven seasons, made five trips to the NAIA Division II National Tournament, won three American Mideast Conference titles, and two AMC Tournament championships.

This is the first head coaching position for Estepp, 33, who is also an Assistant Professor of Exercise and Sport Science at the University. However, he was involved in every aspect of the Yellow Jacket program as an assistant including recruiting, scouting, and having "hands on" responsibilities in practices and games.

"For this to be my first head coaching job is unbelievable," said Estepp. "I am thankful to the administration and the athletic department leadership for this opportunity. I'm also very appreciative to Ray in the help he gave me to grow as a coach."

The Yellow Jackets will return four starters from a 23-8 squad that finished second in the AMC South Division and won the conference tournament. Cedarville, who has become accustomed to being ranked in the NAIA Top 25, was 18th in the final poll last winter.

"I am real excited about next year," Estepp remarked. "I don't have to rebuild something and I'm familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of the players. We have a great group of guys to work with and some newcomers who are going to help us. We have much to look forward to."

Pat and his wife, Melanie, reside in Cedarville with their two boys.

Ray Slagle's team averaged 22.1 wins per season during his eight years at CU.

Slagle resigns basketball post

CEDARVILLE, Ohio (4-23-2008) - Ray Slagle has stepped down as head men's basketball coach at Cedarville University to return to high school coaching. The eight-year Yellow Jacket mentor heads to the Caldwell Academy in Greensboro, N.C. to become the head boys basketball coach.

"God has led us to different places to do different things in order to become what He wants us to be," said Slagle. "I enjoy the opportunity to build rather than sustain and that's why it was exciting to come to Cedarville. As I've gotten older I am challenged to start something from scratch and build it. That's what is waiting for us in North Carolina."

Slagle took over a Yellow Jacket basketball program and in eight years built it into one of the best in NAIA Division II. His program was 177-92 overall and 92-46 in the American Mideast Conference. That was the result even after laboring through an initial campaign of 8-22 and 3-15 AMC in 2000-01.

The final resume is most impressive. Cedarville had not been to the national tournament in 21 seasons, yet Slagle's teams made five trips to the NAIA Division II National Tournament. The Yellow Jackets never lost in the first round and advanced to the Final Four once, the Elite Eight twice, and the Sweet 16 twice.

Cedarville claimed three American Mideast Conference South Division titles, two AMC Tournament titles, and was ranked as high as #1 during the 2004-05 Final Four season that featured a school-record 28 victories. Slagle's last seven teams won at least 20 games and he was voted the NCCAA National Coach of the Year in 2003.

2008 AMC Tournament Champions
2008 American Mideast Conference Tournament Champions

Yellow Jacket seniors honored

Both Yellow Jacket seniors were honored before the Li'l Sibs Weekend game vs. Wilberforce on Feb. 16. Standing (from left-to-right) are assistant coach Andy Allgrim, assistant coach Pat Estepp, Ryan Short, Joel Fowler, and head coach Ray Slagle. (Scott Huck photo)

Oldest living Yellow Jackets honored

Yellow Jacket Alumni
Cedarville University athletic director Pete Reese (center) prepares to recognize Joe Waddle (left) and Charles "Bud" Chamberlain prior to the Alumni Weekend basketball game versus Walsh on Jan. 19. The two were honored as the oldest living former Yellow Jacket basketball players. Waddle, 92, played at Cedarville College from 1933-37 while Chamberlain, 93, played from 1932-34. (Scott Huck photo)

CU Gold Rush 2008
GOLD RUSH
The Cedarville University student body is clad in the latest Yellow Jacket basketball t-shirt for Saturday's home game against American Mideast Conference foe Ohio Dominican.

Ryan Short receives Ron Holmes Memorial Award

Ryan Short is joined by CU head men's basketball coach Ray Slagle (right) and Mount Vernon Nazarene head coach Scott Flemming after receiving the Ron Holmes Memorial Award prior to the start of the Yellow Jackets' game at MVNU.

MOUNT VERNON, Ohio (1-8-2008) - CU senior guard Ryan Short was presented the American Mideast Conference's Ron Holmes Memorial Award prior to the game at Mount Vernon Nazarene.

The Ron Holmes Memorial Award was implemented on behalf of the conference coaches to recognize a player who exhibits the same outstanding basketball ability, character, and academic achievements that Holmes did. The recipient is selected following his sophomore or junior season, and the award is presented at a game during the following year at MVNU. [MORE]