Winning Harry: Statham Power Reaches Summit as Career Winningest Coach

It didn't seem right to honor Coach K about this time last season without at least acknowledging Winning Harry. We're talking about Harry Statham of Lebanon, Ill.-based McKendree College. On February 6, he passed Tennessee's Pat Summitt (1,098 triumphs) as the all-time winningest coach in college history (men's or women's) at the four-year college level. Statham, who passed North Carolina's Dean Smith during the 2004-05 season, has coached more college basketball games than anyone from planet Earth since supplanting Jim Phelan (Mount St. Mary's). Going beyond 1,000 NAIA victories in 2009-10, Statham (pronounced Stay-them) compiled only one losing campaign (18-19 in 1983-84) in his first 46 seasons as a head coach until incurring sub-.500 marks each of the previous three years following McKendree moving up to the NCAA DII level. It also didn't seem right he had a five-game losing streak when Duke's Mike Krzyzewski registered career win No. 1,000.

"No, I never dreamed about (so many triumphs). I never dreamed about 100 wins," said Statham, boasting an average annual record of 22-9. "It's a good job and a good opportunity and I love what I do. I just try to do things right and everything will take care of itself."

It was not as if there was instant success for Statham, who didn't reach the NAIA Tournament until his 22nd campaign. After his first three seasons with McKendree, Statham conducted a tryout including the author of this missive for a spot on his roster. Statham never would have reached 100 victories three years later if he didn't look elsewhere and attract better players over the decades en route to assembling the following record-breaking resume:

Season Record NAIA Tourney
1966-67 13-10 DNP
1967-68 20-7 DNP
1968-69 21-6 DNP
1969-70 19-6 DNP
1970-71 15-12 DNP
1971-72 21-7 DNP
1972-73 23-6 DNP
1973-74 24-8 DNP
1974-75 17-9 DNP
1975-76 17-9 DNP
1976-77 21-5 DNP
1977-78 15-11 DNP
1978-79 20-11 DNP
1979-80 22-9 DNP
1980-81 27-7 DNP
1981-82 18-12 DNP
1982-83 20-9 DNP
1983-84 18-19 DNP
1984-85 22-11 DNP
1985-86 22-14 DNP
1986-87 30-5 DNP
1987-88 35-1 1-1 record
1988-89 17-15 DNP
1989-90 20-14 DNP
1990-91 23-9 DNP
1991-92 31-6 0-1 record
1992-93 27-9 0-1 record
1993-94 26-8 DNP
1994-95 27-6 DNP
1995-96 25-9 1-1 record
1996-97 28-9 2-1 record
1997-98 26-8 DNP
1998-99 21-11 DNP
1999-00 25-8 0-1 record
2000-01 27-9 0-1 record
2001-02 30-5 1-1 record
2002-03 34-4 3-1 record
2003-04 24-10 0-1 record
2004-05 25-8 DNP
2005-06 19-14 DNP
2006-07 22-12 1-1 record
2007-08 27-7 1-1 record
2008-09 30-6 2-1 record
2009-10 27-7 0-1 record
2010-11 21-13 1-1 record
2011-12 18-12 DNP
2012-13 7-21 moved up to NCAA DII
2013-14 9-17 moved up to NCAA DII
2014-15 11-15 moved up to NCAA DII
2015-16 11-10* moved up to NCAA DII
50 years 1,099-476 13-15 record

*Record when passing Pat Summitt.