Hall of Fame
Arguably the best coach in the history of the women’s basketball program at Southern Nazarene University, Jerry Finkbeiner took SNU to new heights from 1990-1996. Finkbeiner finished his career at SNU with a .903 winning percentage, the highest in school history, going 186-20 over six seasons. His worst year was his first going 26-8. The next five seasons produced no less than 30 wins and included the only undefeated season in program history in 1993-94 where SNU went 34-0.
The then Lady Redskins won three straight NAIA National Championships from 1994-96 and Finkbeiner was named the NAIA Coach of the Year all three seasons. He was also selected as the College Sports Magazine and Converse National Coach of the Year in 1995 as well. He was named the NAIA District 9 Coach of the Year in 1993 and was a five-time Sooner Athletic Conference Coach of the Year from 1992-96. He coached nine NAIA All-Americans and five former players signed professional contracts.
Finkbeiner came to SNU after spending eight seasons at the high school or collegiate level in Idaho. He took over the women’s basketball program at Oral Roberts University in 1996 and went 273-210 in 16 seasons for the Golden Eagles. He led ORU to its first five NCAA Tournament bids in school history.
Overall, Finkbeiner has a 507-273 (.657) record in 25 years as a collegiate head coach.
Finkbeiner, a native of Southern California, attended Southern Nazarene in Bethany from 1975-80, where he was a four-year letterwinner. In that time, he was selected as an NCCAA All-American in 1978. Finkbeiner graduated with a bachelor's degree in physical education and completed his master's degree in physical education at Northwest Missouri State University. Along with coaching at SNU, Finkbeiner also worked as a professor in the kinesiology and sports management department.
