Rueck Named to US Staff For Pan-Am Games
Oregon State head women’s basketball coach Scott Rueck has been named to the coaching staff for the US team that will compete at the Pan-American Games this summer, USA Basketball announced today. Rueck will serve as an assistant coach for the squad, joining head coach Lisa Bluder (Iowa) and fellow assistant Michelle Clark-Heard (Western Kentucky).
“I could not be more excited about the opportunity to serve as assistant coach for the US Women's Pan American Basketball team,” Rueck said. “To be selected to represent your country is one of the highest honors in sports, and this opportunity is extremely humbling. As an organization, USA Basketball has done so much to be an ambassador for our game, both on and off the court. I'm excited to be a part of the tradition and fulfill a role in writing the next chapter.
“I look forward to sharing the bench with two outstanding individuals and coaches in Lisa Bluder and Michelle Clark-Heard. Their resume's speak for themselves and the success that their programs are having is no accident. I will do whatever I can to help this group succeed and know that what I contribute will be matched ten-fold in what I am able to learn from our coaches and players. I am especially appreciative of the support of our administration, our team, and staff at Oregon State University. Without them, this opportunity would not be possible.”
The 2015 Pan American Games women’s basketball competition will take place July 16-20 in Toronto, Canada. Trials for the 12-member roster for the 2015 U.S. Pan American Women’s Basketball Team will take place May 14-17 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and the team is expected to be announced on May 17.
Rueck led the Beavers to their best season in school history, as Oregon State set a school record with 27 wins en route to the program’s first ever Pac-12 title. Along the way Oregon State proved it could beat the nation’s best teams and under Rueck took down North Carolina on the road, swept Arizona State and defeated California. The Beavers were in the national rankings throughout the season, moving as high as No. 7 before ending the regular season ranked 10th. Oregon State ranks in the top 25 in the country in eleven different statistical categories, including fifth in assists per game (18.6), ninth in field goal percentage (45.4) and 13th in field goal percentage defense (35.2). The historic season led to an increase in attendance, as the Beavers averaged a Pac-12 leading 4,167 fans per game, and welcomed 7,652 fans to Gill Coliseum for the Civil War on Jan. 9, the third-largest crowd in school history.
Rueck, who was named Pac-12 Coach of the Year by both the coaches and the media and has earned back-to-back WBCA Region 8 Coach of the year honors, has helped engineer an incredible turnaround in the program, since taking over in 2010. The Beavers earned their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1996 last season, and made it to the second round of the tourney for the second season in a row this year. Under his guidance, the Beavers led the Pac-12 with three All-Conference honorees this season (Hamblin, Jamie Weisner and Sydney Wiese), and led the conference with four Players of the Week.
