Jim Houdeshell, who served as head men’s basketball coach at Findlay College for 30 years, posted a sparkling 430-312 record, sixteen of his teams qualified for the NAIA District 22 playoffs and the Oilers advanced to the national championship tournament three times. The Rawson native graduated from FC (1953) and went on to earn a Doctor of Physical Education degree from Indiana University (1968). Houdeshell served two stints as FC’s athletics director, 1955-59 and 1971-1986. In 1975, he was inducted into the FC Hall of Fame. He was also named Hoosier-Buckeye Collegiate Conference, Mid-Ohio Conference and District 22 Coach of the Year. He twice served as H-BCC president. At FC, he also coached track, cross country, baseball and football. Houdeshell, a letter-winner in football, basketball and baseball at FC, began a three-year term on the NAIA Executive Committee in 1984, four years after being inducted into the NAIA Coaches Hall of Fame. He is a past president of the NAIA Basketball Coaches Association (1962-64) and the NAIA Athletic Directors Association (1981-82). Houdeshell coached the U.S. team in the Jones Cup International Tournament in Brazil and the Argentine International Tournament in Argentina.

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