Coach Sheldon is the 21st men's basketball coach in the history of the College and he succeeded his mentor, Steve Bankson, who retired in 2008, after 28 seasons as basketball coach and athletic director.

In 2010-11, the Yellow Jackets finished at 9-16 overall and 5-13 in the Ohio Athletic Conference overall.

Sheldon, a former student-athlete, 1993 graduate and assistant coach under Bankson, returned to his alma mater after spending six years building Heidelberg College’s program into an Ohio Athletic Conference champion.

 

Sheldon, who also earned his master’s degree in 2000 from Ashland University, is no stranger to Berea. He is a 1989 graduate of Strongsville High School and began his coaching career at local Middleburg Heights Midpark High School, then joined Bankson’s staff at B-W before coaching at Heidelberg College.

 

At Heidelberg from 2002-2008, Sheldon built the Student Prince basketball program into the 2007-2008 OAC Tournament champion. With its OAC tourney title, Heidelberg and Sheldon received the OAC’s automatic berth in the 2008 NCAA Division III National Tournament. His last three squads increased their win total from nine in 2005-2006 to 13 in 2006-2007 to a school-record 23 in 2007-2008.  He had a career mark of 65-93 during his six seasons in Tiffin. Also as athletic director, Sheldon led Heidelberg to an all-time best finish of second in the OAC All-Sports Trophy standings.

 

“We [Duane and his wife Laura, who also is a B-W graduate, and their three children, Jacy, Ajay and Emmy] are delighted and excited to be back home in Berea and at B-W and hope to continue a strong tradition of excellence in both academics and education,” said Sheldon, who led Heidelberg to a 23-6 record in 2007-08. “We look forward to hopefully making a difference in the lives of the students who attend B-W."

  

As a student-athlete at B-W, Sheldon was a three-time letterwinner, a co-captian and a first-team Academic All-OAC pick. He also was tabbed as the Best Defensive Player.

  

In coming back to Greater Cleveland, Sheldon returns to the sites of earlier triumphs as a basketball star at Strongsville High School and in his first head coaching position at Midpark High School in Middleburg Heights.  During his five seasons at Midpark, he was named the Associated Press Northeast Ohio Coach of the Year in 1997-1998 for leading his team to an 18-4 record and was the Pioneer Athletic Conference Coach of the Year. The following season, his team compiled a 21-2 campaign and a final ranking of eighth in the Ohio AP poll.  Under his leadership, Midpark High achieved the best record in school history and broke more than 80 school records. His career record was 78-42.