Bethany College Women’s Basketball
A Tradition of Excellence

6 NAIA National Tournament Appearances (1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003)
5-time Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Champions (1980, 1983, 1998, 2000, 2003)
2-time National 4-year College/University Academic Champion (1996, 1998)
1995 NAIA National Tournament Elite Eight Finish
2002 NAIA Final National Rankings (#11)
2003 NAIA National Tournament Sweet Sixteen Finish
2003 NAIA Final National Rankings (#2)

More than Winning
The Bethany College women’s basketball program has enjoyed a great deal of success on the basketball court.  A perennial contender for the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Championship and regular participant in the NAIA National Tournament, The Swedes have established themselves as one of the top small college basketball programs in the country.

While winning has become a common occurrence, Bethany basketball is about much more than victories.  In addition to the great success that the Swedes have enjoyed on the court, the women’s team has earned a reputation for producing young women who achieve success in the classroom and who become campus and community leaders.

According to Head Coach Greg Mittelsteadt, the annual goals for the program include more than 20-win seasons and conference championships.  “We really focus on developing the whole person.  We want them to grow not just as athletes, but also as students and people.  We want to them to apply the qualities of respect, responsibility, and teamwork they learn here to their future professional and personal relationships.  We want to produce leaders and winners, not just in basketball, but in life.”

The ability to achieve those goals begins with finding the right people.  “We want people who are committed to the personalized atmosphere and individualized education that Bethany can offer.  We look for not only talented players, but also quality students who are willing to immerse themselves in both the basketball program and campus community.”

In the end, Mittelsteadt hopes that these goals translate into a special experience for members of his program. “We want all our athletes to contribute to and benefit from the great tradition of success that has been established here.  We want them to be able to look back on their college experience as some of the best years of their life.  We want them to leave here with a quality education and a lifelong connection to Bethany College and the women’s basketball program.  If we can do that, we have accomplished our goals.”