Entering his 11th season at the helm as the head women’s basketball coach, Jim Middleton will push his team to make a run at the MIAA Championship. After finishing a 14-14 last season, the Lady Bearcats have something to prove.

Last year, he took SBU to their 10th consecutive MIAA Tournament but they bowed out in the first round. SBU, though, did something last year in the MIAA that had not been done in over 10 years. Sophomore Amber Wheeler was named the MIAA MVP and was the first person since 1992-93 to win the MIAA “Freshman of the Year" in her first season and then the MIAA MVP the next season. She was also the first SBU women’s basketball player to be given the MIAA MVP.

Middleton has the experience to push for the MIAA Championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. He has guided SBU to five NCAA Tournament appearances and advanced to the Sweet 16 in 1999-2000. In 2000-01, the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association named Middleton the District VII Coach of the Year as the Lady Bearcats made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. At one time, his 1994-95 team was ranked No. 7 in the nation.

With great fan support in Bolivar, SBU has finished well for attendance in NCAA Division II. In 2000-01, they finished No. 8 in the nation (1,569 average per game) and then in the 1995-96 season they were No. 5.
In July of 2001, Middleton added added another duty to his title as he was named the new athletics director for SBU. He now dreams of taking the success he has had in his own program and help to make Bearcat athletics one of the best overall programs in the nation.

Middleton, whose record at SBU is 182-101 (.659), holds the most wins of any head women’s basketball coach at the school and also has the highest winning percentage.

Although success is important for Middleton, he loves seeing the student-athletes succeed.

“It is a privilege to work with the college-age students day in and day out," Middleton said. “I love seeing our young men and women succeed and seeing them be the best they can be at whatever it is they are doing. I get great satisfaction of seeing our students graduate. We have graduated every senior that has been on our teams since I have been here. That is success."

In April 1994, Middleton made a trip north of Springfield from Southwest Missouri State to become the new head coach at SBU. In his first season, he laid the groundwork for national success, posting an 18-8 record which tied a school record for most victories in a season. He has since set a new school record for victories, 21, a mark his teams have reached four times.

Middleton served as an assistant coach on the women's basketball staff of his alma mater, Southwest Missouri State University from 1991-1994, prior to coming to SBU. During those three seasons, his duties included coaching the post players, scouting, film exchange and coordinating team travel and the summer camps. Led by Middleton and head coach Cheryl Burnett, SMSU compiled a 78-18 record, won three conference championships, and played in the NCAA Tournament, advancing to the Final Four in 1992.

He is a 1985 magna cum laude graduate of Southwest Missouri State and received a master's degree in educational administration from Southwest Missouri State in 1987. Middleton was a graduate assistant on the Lady Bears’ basketball coaching staff under head coach Valerie Goodwin-Colbert from 1985-87, also served as a student assistant for the women's track team and as strength coach for the men's basketball team at Southwest Missouri during the 1988-89 season.

In 1989-91, Middleton worked as head coach of the girl’s basketball team at West Plains (Mo.) High School. He compiled a record of 33-18 and led the 1990-91 team to a 20-6 record and the South Central Association title and was named Coach of the Year. Middleton also was girls track coach and taught science and physical education at West Plains.

In high school, Middleton played basketball at Nixa High School and was a three-year starter. He earned all-conference honors his junior and senior seasons. In 1978, his junior season, Nixa went 30-1 and won the Missouri Class 2A state championship. His senior season, the Eagles took third at the state tournament. He graduated from Nixa in 1979.
Middleton has experienced success at every stop in life and is relishing the experiences he is having at

SBU. He is married to his wife, Ronda, have been married for 17 years. The couple has two sons, James, 12, and Jared, 8.

* Team played in NCAA Division II National Championships