Montgomery, Ala.—The Auburn University Montgomery Lady Senators defeated Brewton-Parker College on Jan. 27 by a score of 57-40. The win was the 20th of the year for the 13-ranked Lady Senators, but it was the 600th for Head Coach Steve Crotz.
Crotz, who has never had a losing record is in his 26th year of coaching, has averaged over 23 wins per season and that will go up since the 06-07 squad has already won 20 games and should win a few more before the end of the season. In fact, none of Crotz’s teams have even finished with a .500 record, with the closest being a 19-15 record during the 2001-02 season.
It all started 26 years ago at Brentwood High School in Missouri. It was two years after Crotz had graduated from the University of Missouri and here he was a fresh 24 year old with his first head coaching job.
All he did during his nine year reign was win 210 games and make five appearances in the Missouri State Girls Basketball Tournament. His tournament teams came home with two third place finishes, two runners-up finishes and won the State Championship during the 1984-85 season.
Crotz then took his experience and knowledge of the game to the collegiate ranks where he was named head coach at Lindenwood University in 1990. It has been said that if someone can coach, then it does not matter at what level they are at, and coach Crotz proved that as his teams at Lindenwood continued to win games. In fact, his first two teams won 19 games and this third team won 22 games. With that success, Lindenwood made three consecutive trips to the NAIA National Tournament from 1993-94 through the 95-96 season. Six years and three tournament appearances later, Crotz had fashioned a 126-61 record.
In 1996, Crotz had an opportunity to come to AUM where the women’s program was in the midst of a six season run in the NAIA National Tournament. Under Crotz’s leadership that streak reached an NAIA record of 14 consecutive seasons in the tournament. His AUM teams have made two Sweet 16 appearances, two Elite Eight appearances and finished the 2000-01 season as the NAIA Runners-Up.
Now in his 11th year as the helm of the Lady Senators program, Crotz has won 264 games and still has several regulars season and post season games to play. In all, Crotz has fashioned a 600-203 record over his 26 years of coaching for a winning percentage of .747. Counting this season, 19 of his teams have won 20 or more games and he has had two years where his teams have won more than 30 games.
