Rob Beckmann has been named the new Head Women’s Basketball Coach at Independence Community College.
“Coach Beckmann is a man of integrity who puts student-athletes first,” ICC President Dr. Vincent Bowhay said. “I am excited to see all that he will accomplish in this leadership role.”
Beckmann served as the Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator for previous head coach Jim Turgeon over the past three seasons at ICC, accruing 60 total wins. During that time, the Pirates won back-to-back championships, including the 2021 NJCAA Region VI Championship – the program’s first in 25 years – and the 2022 Jayhawk Conference Championship with 20 total wins over league opponents.
“Coach Beckmann has been pivotal in the success of the women’s basketball program over the past three years,” ICC Athletic Director Melissa Anderson said. “His competitive spirit, passion for the game, and true belief in junior college athletics will help him continue to grow our program. I am excited to watch Coach Beckmann make this program his own.”
Upon arriving in Independence, Beckmann immediately recruited and signed Valentina Ojeda. This past season, Ojeda led the conference in offensive field goal percentage and was second in scoring. She broke the Pirates’ 30-year single-game scoring record with 42 points and earned over a dozen Division-1 scholarship offers. Ojeda was also awarded NJCAA All-American and KJCCC First-Team All-Conference honors.
The previous season, Beckmann was the position coach for point guard Maisa Marcal. During that year, Marcal surpassed 1,000 total career points and won 2022 Jayhawk Conference Player of the Year. Marcal was also a NJCAA All-American and KJCCC First-Team All-Conference selection. She was one of the most recruited JUCO players nationally in 2022 with two dozen Division-1 offers.
“I’ve always believed that JUCO is the ultimate place to chase your dreams,” Coach Beckmann said. “If you’re overlooked or undervalued or just looking for an opportunity, there’s a place for you in JUCO to bet on yourself and prove your worth. You can look at our track record – there is no better spot in the country to chase your dreams than to be an Independence Pirate.”
Before coming to Indy, Beckmann was the Associate Head Men’s Basketball Coach at the State College of Florida in Bradenton, Florida. While at SCF, Beckmann was the architect of one of the fastest and most prolific offenses nationally in Men’s NJCAA Division-1, as the Manatees averaged 29.7 transition points per game during their 2019-20 campaign and led the entire state of Florida in scoring for the first half of the season.
During his two seasons helping guide the Manatees, SCF had its most successful two-year run of the current century, winning back-to-back Suncoast Conference Tournament Championships.
On that team, Beckmann coached future Missouri Tigers star D’Moi Hodge who was among the nation’s top scorers in junior college. During the 2022-23 season at Missouri, Hodge broke the school record for steals in a single season with 91. The previous record of 76 had lasted for 36 years. He was also the Tigers’ second-leading scorer. Hodge is projected as a possible second-round NBA Draft pick in 2023.
At SCF, Beckmann also coached Isiah Dasher, who played for the St. Peter’s Peacocks during their historic Elite 8 run during March Madness in 2022.
“I’ve been unbelievably lucky to recruit and coach some amazing players, both in college and going way back to when I coached high school and travel ball,” Coach Beckmann said. “Ultimately, that’s my motivation – the players. I’m motivated by pushing them to the next level and seeing their families and communities proud of their success. But most importantly, I love to see student-athletes achieve their dreams and be proud of themselves. I plan to continue that tradition as Head Coach at Independence. We’re going to recruit and produce players that the college and community will be proud of.”
https://www.indypirates.com/sports/wbkb/2022-23/releases/beckmannhc
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