Jason Rhine guided the Misericordia University women’s basketball team to seven straight playoff appearances and more than twice as many wins than losses.
Now, Rhine will try to continue that success at his alma mater after being introduced as head coach at Keystone College in July.
The Giants had their previous coach, Al Berger, leave to take the job at Wilkes University, but found his replacement at another northeastern Pennsylvania college.
Misericordia went 119-56 in Rhine’s seven seasons, including 65-29 in the Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom. His last team was 11-5 in the MAC Freedom and 18-8 overall.
Rhine’s teams appeared in five semifinals and one championship game.
“I cannot wait to get started at Keystone,” Rhine said, according to a story posted on the school’s website. “The opportunity to return to my alma mater is a dream come true.
“I look forward to building a highly respected Division III program on and off the court.”
Keystone has also been in the playoffs the past four seasons, beginning with its first Colonial States Athletic Conference title in 2019-2020. The Giants were 10-8 in the CSAC and 11-15 overall in 2022-23.
Rhine played on the men’s basketball team at Keystone, then moved into coaching before graduating with a degree in sports management. He was a graduate assistant on the way to a master’s while at California University of Pennsylvania, then served as an assistant coach at Aurora University and Washington & Jefferson College before landing his position at Misericordia.
While landing three MAC Freedom Coach of the Year honors, Rhine set Misericordia’s program record for career coaching victories.
CSU COACH
Clarks Summit University has hired Matt Ford to remain with the school’s cross country program, taking over as the new head coach.
“Clarks Summit University is very excited to welcome him back to the program as the new head coach,” Defenders athletic director Mike Show said. “He is a very hard worker and a person that will be a very good coach, pushing his athletics, while coaching them to success.”
Ford spent last fall training for a 100-mile run.
FALL OPENERS
The Keystone College fall sports season gets underway with three events Sept. 1.
The men’s and women’s cross country teams runs in the Misericordia Invitational that day, followed by the women’s volleyball team playing at Wilkes at 7 and the men’s soccer team playing at home at the same time against Penn College.
Action continues the next day, including a pair of noon events with the football team at home against Gallaudet and the field hockey team at Keuka College. The women’s soccer team plays at Neumann University later in the afternoon of Sept. 2.
Clarks Summit hosts Penn State Scranton in women’s volleyball Aug. 29 in the fall season opener.
The Defenders are also sending their cross country teams to the Sept. 1 Misericordia Invitational.
Clarks Summit’s soccer teams open Sept. 2 in a doubleheader with the women hosting Wells College at 1 p.m., followed by the men playing Pratt Institute.
