After spending 23 successful years as a basketball coach on the high school level, northern Kentucky native Ken Shields was named NKU's third men's basketball coach in August 1988.
And as Shields enters his 16th and final season at NKU, his program now ranks among the best in NCAA Division II basketball. NKU has been to the NCAA Division II Tournament seven of the past nine seasons and advanced to the national championship game twice during that period.
Shields announced earlier this fall that the 2003-04 season will be his last as the NKU head coach. He plans to retire at the end of the season, and he will finish his career as the Norse's all-time leader in coaching victories.
A year ago, Shields guided NKU to a 25-6 record and its first-ever Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament championship. The Norse also finished with a No. 4 national ranking and Shields was named GLVC co-Coach of the Year.
Seven years ago, NKU posted a 30-5 record and won the Great Lakes Region championship. Shields was named NABC Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year after leading NKU to its best-ever record. The Norse, who also shared the GLVC championship, advanced to the NCAA Division II championship game and dropped a 57-56 decision to Cal State Bakersfield. It was the second straight year Shields led NKU to the NCAA Championship game.
Simply put, Ken Shields has built a national power of his own at NKU. Shields is now 290-155 in 15 years with the Norse and has made NKU one of the most recognized Division II programs in the nation.
Shields has faced the challenge of competing in the GLVC, the nation's toughest NCAA Division II men's league, but the 61-year-old Covington native has led the Norse to 216 wins during the past nine seasons. Eight years ago, he guided NKU to a 25-7 mark and NCAA Division II runner-up honors. The previous year, Shields led the Norse to 25 wins and earned GLVC Coach of the Year honors. Shields, who guided NKU to the GLVC championship and the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1978, also was tabbed Division II Bulletin National Coach of the Year in 1994-95.
During his tenure, Shields has seen his team and individual players set more than 65 school records. Among the highlights individually, Derek Fields was the GLVC Player of the Year and a third team All-American in 1989. Todd Svoboda, also an All-GLVC performer, was named the Richard F. Scharf Paragon Award winner by the GLVC and was the Vincent K. Schulte Athlete of Distinction at NKU in 1992. Paul Cluxton became the NCAA's all-time leader in career free-throw percentage (.934) in 1997 and hit all 94 of his attempts from the line that season. Cluxton and teammate LaRon Moore were also third team All-Americans in 1997. In 1998, senior basketball player Andy Listerman received the Richard F. Scharf Paragon Award, and he was also the Vincent K. Schulte Athlete of Distinction Award winner at NKU. Three years ago, senior basketball player Kevin Listerman received the Richard F. Scharf Paragon Award, and he was also the Vincent K. Schulte Athlete of Distinction Award winner at NKU.
Shields became the winningest boys' basketball coach in Northern Kentucky high school history after posting a 460-257 (.642) record and 15 20-win campaigns in 10 seasons at St. Thomas High School and 13 years at Highlands High School.
At Highlands, Shields saw his teams win five Ninth Region titles and earn five berths to the prestigious Kentucky "Sweet 16" State Basketball Tournament.
Shields attended Covington Catholic High School, where he played four seasons of basketball and baseball. He attended the University of Dayton and graduated in 1964. He also earned a master's degree in 1970 and a Rank I degree in 1972 from Xavier University.
His first coaching position came when he guided the freshman team at Covington Catholic in 1964-65. The following year, he was named head coach at St. Thomas.
