The Undercurrent

Issue date: 2/15/08 Section: Sports

Janet Berry Head Women's Basketball Coach

Brian VanHaaften - Head Men's Basketball Coach

Media Credit: Allissa Hopkins

Last Saturday's basketball wins over both the Cornell men's and women's teams will be remembered as more than just two wins for both Buena Vista University's (BVU) head basketball coaches. For head women's basketball Coach Janet Berry it meant becoming the winningest coach in BVU women's basketball history. With career victory 260, Berry passes the late John Naughton, who coached the team from 1976 to 1992. Berry's teams have captured five Iowa Conference Championships and have reached the NCAA Tournament five times. For the five time Iowa Conference coach of the year, getting the win was a bit of a relief.

"Well, you know it was funny," Berry said. "I knew about the record, but I didn't really know I could get it this season until a few games ago. For me personally, it was good to get it over with."

Games are not the only thing Berry has won during her career. She's also gotten to know many players, develop relationships with them, and watch them grow during their college years.

"You get to see them pick their career, maybe find their spouse, find their passion," Berry said. "Looking at those freshmen that first couple days of class, they're sitting on the couch in my home and I'm looking around and thinking four years from now, these people will be best friends."

Senior Katie Ernst, who also has coaching aspirations, did not know of the record until after the ballgame and quickly realized all of the things she has learned while here at BVU from Coach Berry.

"I thought it was pretty awesome," Ernst said. "I didn't even know about it until after the game in the locker room. She told us what she accomplished, and for me going into coaching sometime in my future, its pretty cool to have played with a coach like that and all the different ideas that she's had and different situations. You kind of get a feel for what it takes to be a good coach."

For head men's basketball coach Brian Van Haaften, the win meant eclipsing the 250 career victories mark in just his 12th season as the Beaver's head coach. Coach Van Haaften hit the 200 career victory mark in just his ninth season. For Van Haaften, the realization he had 250 career victories didn't hit him until after the game when a familiar face congratulated him.

"Honestly, I had forgotten all about it during the game," Van Haaften said. "As we got into it and as we shook hands with all the guys from Cornell, my son was at the end of the line and he gave me a hug and said congratulations on winning 250."

Senior Rahn Franklin had nothing but positive comments for coach Van Haaften.
"It's a great accomplishment for him," Franklin said. "He's been working hard for it for a long time."

Van Haaften has spent a good deal of his life with the BVU men's basketball program and says that after all this time; he's not doing this just for the wins.

"Twenty-five percent of my life has been devoted to being here at Buena Vista and you realize it's been kind of special," Van Haaften said. "I'm not doing this for winning 250 games or 300. I'm doing it to try to make a difference in the other kids lives and the kids that we have here. That's really why I do it. I think the good Lord put us on this earth to go out there and help others and not be self serving and doing those kinds of things and I'm really enjoying it. I've got a great group of guys I've been blessed with here."

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