HoopDirt.com reported yesterday that Defiance College (OH) head coach Tom Heil was the choice at Baldwin Wallace (OH). It has now been made official – Tom Heil is the new men’s basketball coach at Baldwin Wallace University.
Heil is a familiar face to both the BW campus community and its basketball program after serving as Duane Sheldon’s assistant coach for five seasons (2009-2014). He returns to BW after serving as the head coach this past season at Defiance College and taking his team to the NCAA Division III National Tournament. In fact, this is the second time that Heil has come to BW from Defiance!
“We are excited to have Tom back at BW,” said Diaz, a 1979 BW graduate. “He did an excellent job as our assistant basketball coach and head men’s golf coach. He is passionate about BW and our basketball program and has played a major role in the recruitment of many of our returning players. He is looking forward to having an opportunity to coach them.
“Tom did an excellent job in his only year at Defiance and led them to a regular season and tournament title as well as an NCAA bid,” continued Diaz. “We are looking forward to him bringing this valuable experience back to BW and build upon the successful tradition of our basketball program. He cares about his players and is concerned about their total growth and development as students, players and quality young men. We welcome him back to BW.”
At every stop during Heil’s playing and coaching career, he has had success.
In 2014-2015, Heil led Defiance to a 22-7 record, including a 15-0 mark at home, captured both the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference regular season and HCAC Tournament titles and led the Yellow Jackets to their first-ever NCAA Division III National Tournament victory.
“I can not express how honored I feel to be named the Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Baldwin Wallace University,” said Heil. “I would like to thank the University, Athletics Director Kris Diaz and the entire search committee for offering me this tremendous opportunity. BW is a very special place to my wife and me. I have always dreamed of being the head coach here. Also, a special thanks to former head coach Duane Sheldon who gave me an opportunity to be his assistant for five great years at BW. Without him I would not be here.
“I have tremendous respect for the great tradition of this basketball program and all the great players and teams that have come before us,” continued Heil. “The coaches and student-athletes in this program will work extremely hard everyday to uphold that tradition and represent this program and University with class. I look forward to getting to work.”
Heil played four seasons of varsity basketball at Bluffton University. During his time with the Beavers, Heil was twice named to the Academic All-HCAC team. He also captained the 2006-07 squad that finished with a school-record tying 18 wins.
Heil earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration at Bluffton in 2007. He earned his Master of Arts in Sports Science from Defiance in 2009.
