MCC News
Wed, Jun 16, 2010 - [Women's Basketball] - Viewed 703 times - Post By Brian Thiessen
Krista Van Hauen
St. Ambrose University Director of Athletics Ray Shovlain announced
today Krista Van Hauen has been named the head women's basketball coach.
Van Hauen becomes the 10th Queen Bees basketball coach in program
history after replacing Nathan Altenhofen, who accepted an assistant
coaching position at Indiana University last month.
"Krista is an outstanding choice for St. Ambrose University," said Shovlain. "Along with being a quality person and coach, she brings critical and valuable recruiting experience at different college levels. We are excited to be able to add her to our staff."
Van Hauen has spent the last two years as an assistant coach at the University of Northern Colorado. Responsible for developing perimeter players, Van Hauen coached guard Whitley Cox, a 2010 all-Big Sky Conference First Team selection, who recently signed a professional contract with the Harlem Ambassadors.
Along with assisting with on-court coaching at Northern Colorado, she organized team travel and summer camps, supervised the academic performance of the student-athletes, and assisted with recruiting the Midwest and junior colleges.
Prior to her two years with the Bears, Van Hauen was the Director of Women's Basketball Operations at Bradley University from 2006-08 while studying to earn her Master's degree in Coaching from the United States Sports Academy.
"Being named the St. Ambrose University head women's basketball coach is an unbelievable opportunity," said Van Hauen. "I am extremely humbled, honored, and grateful. Since St. Ambrose has had a winning record for every one of its 34-year history and has won numerous conference championships and made many trips to the NAIA National Tournament, I am extremely humbled that St. Ambrose has placed their confidence in me to become their next head coach. I am, also, honored since winning coaches like Iowa's Lisa Bluder and Missouri's Robin Pingeton have coached at St. Ambrose. In addition, I am extremely grateful that St. Ambrose believes in me to continue its winning tradition. I want to personally thank Athletic Director Ray Shovlain along with the Coaches Committee and Campus Committee, who were all so professional in the interview process."
Along with her successful coaching background, Van Hauen has strong ties to Iowa and the Midwest. A three-time conference MVP at Wellsburg-Steamboat Rock High School in Iowa, Van Hauen played collegiately at Waldorf College. An NJCAA First Team All-American in 2001, she led the Warriors to a third-place finish at the NJCAA National Championships that year.
After a year at Simpson College, where she garnered second team all-Iowa Conference honors, Van Hauen returned to Waldorf to earn a degree in Wellness and closed her career by earning all-Midwest Collegiate Conference recognition in 2004.
Van Hauen got her coaching start as a student assistant at Waldorf in 2003. She coached at Grundy Center (Iowa) High School in 2004-05 and also served as an assistant coach at Cornell College during the 2005-06 season before moving to Bradley.
"After growing up in Iowa and having played both high school and college basketball in Iowa, I know the quality of talent that is part of the Hawkeye State," said Van Hauen. "In addition, with my previous coaching jobs I have gained many valuable experiences in assessing and recruiting top-athletes from the Midwest. When looking for quality student-athletes, the young women must be successful on the basketball court as well as in the classroom while being respected in their communities. They must value the qualities of good citizenship, respect, trustworthiness, and honesty. I believe such talented student-athletes will compete successfully at the NAIA level and will win conference championships, and compete in the NAIA National Tournament. More importantly, such young ladies will be winners in the game of life, making outstanding contributions in their families, communities, and careers in the future."
Van Hauen inherits a Queen Bee squad coming off a 24-8 season, led by two-time All-American Ali Dolphin. SAU had only one senior on the 2009-10 roster, four-time all-conference pick Jenny Clark.
"I'm so excited to meet the players," said Van Hauen. "I am confident that through hard work, teamwork and respect for oneself and others we will take the program to a higher level."
St. Ambrose has won at least 20 games in five straight seasons and in 10 of the last 11 years. The Queen Bees have made 15 NAIA National Championship appearances, and twice reached the Final Four (1988-89, 1989-90).
"Krista is an outstanding choice for St. Ambrose University," said Shovlain. "Along with being a quality person and coach, she brings critical and valuable recruiting experience at different college levels. We are excited to be able to add her to our staff."
Van Hauen has spent the last two years as an assistant coach at the University of Northern Colorado. Responsible for developing perimeter players, Van Hauen coached guard Whitley Cox, a 2010 all-Big Sky Conference First Team selection, who recently signed a professional contract with the Harlem Ambassadors.
Along with assisting with on-court coaching at Northern Colorado, she organized team travel and summer camps, supervised the academic performance of the student-athletes, and assisted with recruiting the Midwest and junior colleges.
Prior to her two years with the Bears, Van Hauen was the Director of Women's Basketball Operations at Bradley University from 2006-08 while studying to earn her Master's degree in Coaching from the United States Sports Academy.
"Being named the St. Ambrose University head women's basketball coach is an unbelievable opportunity," said Van Hauen. "I am extremely humbled, honored, and grateful. Since St. Ambrose has had a winning record for every one of its 34-year history and has won numerous conference championships and made many trips to the NAIA National Tournament, I am extremely humbled that St. Ambrose has placed their confidence in me to become their next head coach. I am, also, honored since winning coaches like Iowa's Lisa Bluder and Missouri's Robin Pingeton have coached at St. Ambrose. In addition, I am extremely grateful that St. Ambrose believes in me to continue its winning tradition. I want to personally thank Athletic Director Ray Shovlain along with the Coaches Committee and Campus Committee, who were all so professional in the interview process."
Along with her successful coaching background, Van Hauen has strong ties to Iowa and the Midwest. A three-time conference MVP at Wellsburg-Steamboat Rock High School in Iowa, Van Hauen played collegiately at Waldorf College. An NJCAA First Team All-American in 2001, she led the Warriors to a third-place finish at the NJCAA National Championships that year.
After a year at Simpson College, where she garnered second team all-Iowa Conference honors, Van Hauen returned to Waldorf to earn a degree in Wellness and closed her career by earning all-Midwest Collegiate Conference recognition in 2004.
Van Hauen got her coaching start as a student assistant at Waldorf in 2003. She coached at Grundy Center (Iowa) High School in 2004-05 and also served as an assistant coach at Cornell College during the 2005-06 season before moving to Bradley.
"After growing up in Iowa and having played both high school and college basketball in Iowa, I know the quality of talent that is part of the Hawkeye State," said Van Hauen. "In addition, with my previous coaching jobs I have gained many valuable experiences in assessing and recruiting top-athletes from the Midwest. When looking for quality student-athletes, the young women must be successful on the basketball court as well as in the classroom while being respected in their communities. They must value the qualities of good citizenship, respect, trustworthiness, and honesty. I believe such talented student-athletes will compete successfully at the NAIA level and will win conference championships, and compete in the NAIA National Tournament. More importantly, such young ladies will be winners in the game of life, making outstanding contributions in their families, communities, and careers in the future."
Van Hauen inherits a Queen Bee squad coming off a 24-8 season, led by two-time All-American Ali Dolphin. SAU had only one senior on the 2009-10 roster, four-time all-conference pick Jenny Clark.
"I'm so excited to meet the players," said Van Hauen. "I am confident that through hard work, teamwork and respect for oneself and others we will take the program to a higher level."
St. Ambrose has won at least 20 games in five straight seasons and in 10 of the last 11 years. The Queen Bees have made 15 NAIA National Championship appearances, and twice reached the Final Four (1988-89, 1989-90).
