Goshen Colleges names new AD, men’s basketball coach
Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
A 2024 inductee into the Iowa High School Athletic Association Basketball Hall of Fame has been named the head men’s basketball coach and athletic director at Goshen College.
Dwight Gingerich has more than four decades of coaching and educational leadership experience, the college said Wednesday.
Since 1981 Gingerich has served as the head boys basketball coach at Hillcrest Academy in Kalona, Iowa — except for one year when he was the interim head men’s basketball coach at Goshen.
Since 2018 he has served as the principal and head of school at Hillcrest. He served as athletic director from 1986-87 and again from 2011-19. Other roles there have included assistant administrator, school counselor and volleyball coach.
“Dwight is exceptionally qualified for this dual role with a long and distinguished career that has demonstrated educational leadership and exceptionally competitive basketball coaching,” Goshen College President Rebecca Stoltzfus said in a news release. “He is fully committed to the student-athlete experience, creating a faith-based culture of excellence, and brings a combination of passion, composure and discipline.”
On July 1 he will begin his duties at Goshen, a private liberal arts college with a student enrollment of about 800.
At Hillcrest Academy, formerly named Iowa Mennonite School, Gingerich compiled a 759-239 record and ranks fourth all-time in wins in the history of Iowa high school basketball coaches. His teams made it to the state tournament 12 times. His team won the 1992 state championship game and was runner-up four times.
Gingerich has been recognized as coach of the year 26 times by coaching organizations in Iowa and twice by national organizations. During the 2000-01 season, when he served as interim coach at Goshen, he was named the conference co-coach of the year.
He was inducted into the Iowa High School Athletic Association Basketball Hall of Fame last year.
“It has been the honor of my life to serve at IMS, now Hillcrest Academy. I have been blessed with great teammates on our staff and amazing support from our school community,” Gingerich said. “And now, I’m truly excited for this new opportunity, and I look forward to how I can serve the Goshen College student-athletes and community as a leader and coach. I love to see a team come together selflessly, encourage one another and bring out the best in each other.”
Gingerich earned a bachelor’s degree in health/physical education from Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and a master’s degree in counselor education from the University of Iowa.
He is married to Mo Rhodes Gingerich, a 1986 Goshen College alumna. Their three children also graduated from Goshen.