One of the top coaches in NCAA Division II women's basketball, Nancy Winstel is in her 21st season as head coach of the Norse. Winstel guided NKU to the 1999-2000 NCAA Division II national championship, and her Norse finished with a 32-2 record that season.
Winstel earned the WBCA Division II National Coach of the Year honor in 1999-2000, and the 32 victories were the most in school history. NKU also won 24 consecutive games en route to the school's first-ever national championship.
In 20 years as head coach at NKU, Winstel has seen the Norse compile a 439-140 record, make 14 NCAA Tournament appearances, be nationally ranked in 13 seasons, win or share eight GLVC championships and advance to the NCAA Division II Final Four in 1987, 1999, 2000 and 2003. NKU also has advanced to the NCAA Division II national championship game twice during her tenure.
In addition, 40 of her players have earned All-Conference honors.
A five-time GLVC Coach of the Year selection, she has a 478-181 overall record in 23 seasons as a collegiate coach and is 261-71 (.786) against conference competition.
A year ago, Winstel guided NKU to a 26-8 record and the NCAA Division II Elite Eight for the fourth time in five seasons. The Norse then defeated Washburn and California (Pa.) to reach the NCAA Division II national championship game against South Dakota State. NKU dropped a 65-50 decision to South Dakota State in the national title game.
In 1993-94, NKU recorded the program's 400th all-time victory with a 57-53 decision against Indiana-Purdue/ Ft. Wayne on Feb. 26 and finished 20-7 en route to the NCAA Tournament.
In 1992-93, NKU finished with a 19-8 record and was ranked as high as eighth in the country in the NCAA Division II poll. Winstel also captured her 200th victory at NKU, an 80-66 win at Lewis on Jan. 16. The Norse also posted victories over NCAA Tournament participants Pittsburg State, Bellarmine and Indianapolis.
In 1990-91, NKU won the GLVC with a 16-2 record and finished the season with 22-6 mark and a No. 12 national ranking. In addition, her team finished as the top defensive team in the GLVC, allowing just 58.7 points per game. The Norse won 20 games or more for the sixth straight season.
In 1988-89, NKU finished 21-7, placed second in the GLVC and advanced to the NCAA Regionals before falling to Oakland (Mich.), 95-93, in overtime.
In 1987-88, the Norse posted a 25-3 mark and tied with Saint Joseph's for the conference championship. The team was ranked as high as fifth and lost all three of its games in overtime. In addition, senior guard Julie Wells became the first NKU player ever to earn GLVC Player of the Year and All-America honors.
Her 1986-87 team finished 25-5, won the conference and Great Lakes Regional championships and lost in overtime to eventual national champion New Haven (Conn.), 77-74, in the national semifinals. Her 1985-86 team shared its first conference title with Bellarmine and earned a No. 7 national ranking and in 1984-85, NKU finished 19-9 and won the Great Lakes Region championship.
This season is the 26th that the Newport, Ky., native has been involved with the women's basketball program at NKU. Winstel played with the Lady Norse from 1974-77 and was an assistant coach from 1981-83.
After graduating from the University with a degree in physical education and history in 1977, Winstel attended Indiana University and earned her master's degree in physical education with an emphasis on coaching in 1978.
Her first head coaching position came at Midway (Ky.) College where she spent three seasons and posted a 39-41 record. In her last two seasons, Midway won two KWIC championships.
She returned to NKU in 1981 and served as assistant women's basketball coach, assistant volleyball coach and head softball coach for two seasons.
