21 years + 5 national titles = scholarship
Darrin Cline
Issue date: 1/28/10 Section: Sports
A surprise awaited Kirkwood Community College women's head basketball coach Kim Muhl when he led his team onto the Johnson Hall court against Iowa Western on Dec. 5.
"I knew something was up but I did not know it would be something like this," Muhl said.
The surprise was an endowment scholarship named in his honor.
Kirkwood staff, former Kirkwood players and Muhl's friends and family raised more than $15,000 for the inaugural Kim S. Muhl Endowment Scholarship.
The effort was led by Student Life office coordinator Mary Huffman and Ag Sciences department office coordinator Kathy Visser.
"Our goal was $15,000 to establish the scholarship and as an endowment; that amount will last and all the money that accumulates beyond that will go toward the scholarship," Huffman said.
Along with the announcement of the scholarship, alumni members of Muhl's basketball and softball teams were invited back to share in the celebration, including six members from his first basketball team.
"The alumni paved the way for our program and our current players," Muhl said.
To add to the celebration, the Kirkwood women's team defeated Iowa Western, 60-44.
Muhl took over as an Eagle head coach in 1989, handling the women's basketball and softball programs.
Muhl coached the softball team for 10 seasons, compiling a 391-138 record for a .740 winning percentage in his tenure.
His accomplishments on the court are even more staggering: five national championships, 13 regional titles, 11 NJCAA First Team All-Americans and five National Tournament MVPs. In addition, he is fourth among active NJCAA coaches with 605 wins.
"He's a great coach and a great person. He has cared about his players and wants them to be successful in all phases of their lives," Huffman said.
"I knew something was up but I did not know it would be something like this," Muhl said.
The surprise was an endowment scholarship named in his honor.
Kirkwood staff, former Kirkwood players and Muhl's friends and family raised more than $15,000 for the inaugural Kim S. Muhl Endowment Scholarship.
The effort was led by Student Life office coordinator Mary Huffman and Ag Sciences department office coordinator Kathy Visser.
"Our goal was $15,000 to establish the scholarship and as an endowment; that amount will last and all the money that accumulates beyond that will go toward the scholarship," Huffman said.
Along with the announcement of the scholarship, alumni members of Muhl's basketball and softball teams were invited back to share in the celebration, including six members from his first basketball team.
"The alumni paved the way for our program and our current players," Muhl said.
To add to the celebration, the Kirkwood women's team defeated Iowa Western, 60-44.
Muhl took over as an Eagle head coach in 1989, handling the women's basketball and softball programs.
Muhl coached the softball team for 10 seasons, compiling a 391-138 record for a .740 winning percentage in his tenure.
His accomplishments on the court are even more staggering: five national championships, 13 regional titles, 11 NJCAA First Team All-Americans and five National Tournament MVPs. In addition, he is fourth among active NJCAA coaches with 605 wins.
"He's a great coach and a great person. He has cared about his players and wants them to be successful in all phases of their lives," Huffman said.
Be the first to comment on this story