NJCAA honors 22-year success story at Kirkwood
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The 2011 NJCAA Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame class has been released by the NJCAA Women’s Basketball Coaches Association. Kim Muhl of Kirkwood Community College was named to the Division II Hall of Fame.
Muhl is in his 22nd year as head coach for Kirkwood’s women’s basketball program. He’s been at the helm since 1989 and his overall record sits at 624-112 (an .847 winning percentage), with an outstanding home record of 278-23. He has led his teams to 20 regional finals, 14 national tournaments, and six NJCAA Division II national titles–including four straight. Muhl has also managed 16 consecutive 25-win seasons, including 37 wins in 2009-10, which marks a school record. Since 2006, his teams have won 95 consecutive games against conference opponents.
Since the beginning of his Kirkwood career, Muhl has been privileged to coach 19 All-Americans — including 14 First-Team All-Americans — 18 Academic All-Americans, and 5 WBCA All-Americans as well. These players have gone on to play at four-year institutions like: Iowa, Iowa State, Oregon, South Florida, Drake, Illinois State, Marquette, and others.
Not only are his players accomplished, but coach Muhl has also been honored several times because of his prodigious coaching ability. He has been named Region XI Coach of the Year 14 times (1990, 1995, 1997-1999, 2002-2010) and Outstanding Coach of the Tournament six times (1997, 2002, 2007-2010) at the Division II National Tournament. In 2007, Muhl was awarded the Russell Athletic JC/CC Coach of the Year honors by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA).
Coach Muhl earned his Bachelor’s degree at William Penn College in Oskaloosa, Iowa and continued his studies at Cumberland College in Williamsburg, Ky. where he earned his Master’s degree in Secondary Education.
“This has happened very quickly and with our season in full swing that has taken priority. I will say it is a very humbling honor to be recognized by the NJCAA. I am sure once the season has finished and the dust has settled, I can reflect on many great times and moments that led to this honor and the support that was given to me along the way,” said Muhl.
The 2011 Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame class also includes head coach Mary Scovel of Gulf Coast Community College of Florida. Her Division I honors come from 14 winning years at Gulf Coast and an amazing 422-44 career record. Together, Muhl and Scovel make history as the first active members selected into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
ABOUT the NJCAA ?The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) is the governing body of two-year college athletics, offering endless athletic and academic opportunities to college students. It is the second largest national intercollegiate athletic organization in the United States with over 500 member schools in 43 states. Each year over 50,000 student-athletes compete in one of 28 different sports and the organization sponsors 48 national championship events and nine football bowl games each year. For more visit www.njcaa.org.