Oregon State head coach Scott Rueck celebrated his 500th career win on Saturday, as the Beavers improved to 7-0 in the 2019-20 campaign.
“This milestone just gives me an opportunity to be grateful,” Rueck said. “You look back at all of the people that I have gotten work with over the years, the people I’ve gotten to meet and coach, and the families that have invested in our program. It makes me happy that I still have this opportunity. This reminds me of a lot of great memories and a lot of great moments. I’ve had some incredible experiences through the game of basketball, and I’m hopeful for many more.”
In honor of Coach Rueck’s accomplishment, here’s a look at just a few of his milestone wins during his coaching career:
No. 1 – Nov. 30, 1996 – George Fox 70, Southern California College (now Vanguard) 66 (double-overtime)
Rueck’s 500th career victory came 23 years to the day after his first win as a college head coach. The first year boss led George Fox to a 70-66 double-overtime win over Southern California College (now known as Vanguard). Becci Harper led the team with 20 points and 13 rebounds, while Nancy Rissmiller put up 20 points.
No. 70 – Feb. 27, 2000 – George Fox 64, Pudget Sound 47 – First Conference Title
George Fox earned a share of the Northwest Conference title with a 64-47 victory over Pudget Sound, as Rueck tallied his first league championship as a head coach. Jenny Freeman led the Bruins with 14 points, while Katie Greller scored 10 of her 12 points in the second half.
No. 260 – March 21, 2009 – George Fox 60, Washington, Mo. 53 – Division III National Championship
Rueck led George Fox to its first women’s basketball championship in the 2008-09 season, capping off a perfect 32-0 campaign with a 60-53 win over Washington, Mo. in Holland, Mich. Kristen Shielee scored 17 points, while Elise Kuenzi added 14 and Sage Indendi put up 13. The Bruins became the sixth Division III National Champion to finish the year undefeated.
No. 289 – Nov. 13, 2010 – Oregon State 71, Long Beach State 39 – First Oregon State Win
Rueck’s Gill Coliseum debut was a good one, as he led the Beavers to a 71-39 win over Long Beach State. Alyssa Martin scored 24 points in the contest, still the Oregon State record for points in a freshman debut. Alexis Bostick put up 14 points.
No. 377 – Feb. 28, 2015 – Oregon State 73, California 55 – First Pac-12 Title
Oregon State ended the 2014-15 regular season with a 73-55 win over California, as the team earned the first Pac-12 title in program history. Sydney Wiese scored 23 points on 7-for-9 shooting from 3-point range, while Gabriella Hanson came off the bench to chip in 14 points. The Beavers would go on to take back-to-back-to-back conference championships.
No. 410 – March 28, 2016 – Oregon State 60, Baylor 57 – Beavers Punch Ticket to First Final Four
The biggest win in Oregon State women’s basketball history came in Dallas during the regional round of the NCAA Tournament, as the Beavers took down No. 4 Baylor to earn a spot in the Final Four. Wiese scored 18 points in the contest, while Jamie Weisner put up 16.
No. 500 – Nov. 30, 2019 – Oregon State 68, Liberty 53 – Win No. 500
Rueck’s most recent win brought him to 500 in his career, as the Beavers beat Liberty at the Miami Thanksgiving Classic. Kennedy Brown led all scorers with 16 points, while Mikayla Pivec put up 14. With the victory, the Beavers have started the 2019-20 campaign 7-0, and have earned their highest-ever AP ranking, coming in at No. 5.
The Beavers will return home Friday for a matchup with Hawaii. That game will tip at 7 p.m.
https://osubeavers.com/news/2019/12/2/womens-basketball-coach-rueck-500-wins.aspx
