Central State University has extended the contract of Theresa A. Check, Athletic Director and Head Coach of Women's Basketball, for an additional three years.
President John W. Garland named Check as Director of Athletics in addition to her position as Head Coach of the Women's Basketball team in April 1998. This contract extension begins January 1, 2000 and runs through December 31, 2003.
"Theresa Check's record at this university has been synonymous with excellence." said President Garland. "As a coach, she not only wins consistently, she also builds character in her players and mentors them to graduation. During her short tenure as athletic director, she has shown that she is capable of administrative leadership and the rebuilding of our sports program to national prominence. I am pleased that she will be at the helm for many Marauder victories in the years ahead."
Since she took on the duties of Athletic Director, Check has overseen the rebuilding of the athletics program at CSU, which includes re-instatement of the men and women's indoor and outdoor track and field programs, as well as the women' s volleyball program. Men and women students will begin golf competition this year.
Check's record as basketball coach at Central State was 336-95 at the beginning of this season. The Lady Marauders, under her direction, have made eleven straight trips to the NAIA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament, the longest streak in NAIA history.
Coach Check's tenure of 15 seasons at CSU is the second longest of any coach of a women's program in the State of Ohio. Only Ed DiGregorio at Youngstown State, with 16 years, has held his position longer. Her 359 career coaching victories is second only to Dixie Jeffers at Capitol University, who has 362 career wins. Check is also one of the winningest coaches at an historically black university over the past ten years.
Central State University was also recently admitted into the American Mideast Conference and begins playing a conference schedule in fall 2000. Both the Marauders and Lady Marauders basketball team will participate in the conference's post season tournament this year, where winners will receive an automatic bid to the NAIA National Tournament.
