Head Coach Greg Heiar
HeiarG@chipola.edu
5th Year as Head Coach (6th
Year at Chipola)
2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 Panhandle
Coach of the Year
2005, 2007, 2008 NJCAA Region VIII Coach of the
Year
Best Record/Most Wins at Chipola: (35-2) 2008
Highest Winning % by a Panhandle Conference Coach (90.9%)
63 Consecutive Weeks Ranked Nationally in the Top
10
Greg Heiar’s up-tempo style, pressure defense, strong work ethic, and family atmosphere have quickly returned the Indians to national prominence. During his span at Chipola, Heiar has amassed an overall winning record of 130-13, a .909 winning percentage, including a 47-2 home court regular season record. His teams have included 30 All-Conference Players and 31 Division I Players, including the 2007 NJCAA Player of the Year in JaMarcus Ellis.
During the 2007-08 campaign, Heiar
guidance helped lead the Indians to an overall record of 35-2 and 11-1 in
Panhandle Conference play. This earned the Indians their fourth FCCAA
State Tournament Championship in five years and fifth consecutive Panhandle
Conference crown. The Indians earned a berth to the NJCAA National
Tournament and spent 11 consecutive weeks ranked #1 in the NJCAA National Poll.
With a record of 35-2, the 2008 Indians stormed through the regular season in
route to one of the best seasons in school history.
In just his third season at the
helm, Coach Heiar and the Chipola Indians finished as the National Junior
College Runner-Up. The trip to the National Tournament was the third for Heiar
since his arrival to Chipola, second as the head coach. For the fourth
consecutive year, the Indians won the Panhandle Conference Championship. During
the 2007 season, Chipola was ranked #1 in the NJCAA National Poll for 13
consecutive weeks. The Indians have now been ranked in the Top 10 nationally for
50 consecutive weeks. Chipola ended the 2007 season with an overall record of
33-3, and 10-2 in Panhandle Conference play.
In his first season at the reigns,
Heiar and the Indians set school records for both wins and games played in a
single season, finishing with an overall record of 33-4. During this campaign,
the Indians won the Panhandle Conference Championship and proved victorious at
the FCCAA State Tournament for a second straight year. The Indians thus earned a
berth to the NJCAA National Tournament where they finished in fourth place, the
highest finish for the Indians since 1974.
The 31 year-old Heiar served one season as top assistant to former Chipola
College head coach Chris Jans. Heiar played an enormous part in the Indian’s
2004 season, which included a Panhandle Conference Championship and FCCAA State
Tournament Championship. The Indians then finished in sixth place at the
National Tournament in Hutchinson, Kansas, with an impressive 32-5 overall
record, and 11-1 in conference play.
Chipola President Dr. Gene Prough complimented Heiar by saying, “Coach Heiar has
an excellent record and proven experience in recruiting, coaching, and helping
student-athletes succeed in the classroom.” Before coming to Chipola, Heiar
spent four seasons as an assistant at Loras College in Iowa. He served as a
recruiting coordinator and specialized in team defense and individual
improvement. He was also an assistant coach at Franciscan University in Iowa in
1999. Heiar’s successful playing career began in Iowa at Dubuque Wahlert High
School where he was a second-team all-state selection.
At Kirkwood Community College, he earned second-team All-Region honors after
leading his team to the National Tournament for the first time in school
history. Heiar helped to guide his team to a conference championship and an
overall 25-10 record. He was also captain of Chris Jans’ first team at Kirkwood.
Success followed Heiar to Franciscan University where he was twice named team
captain and earned MVP honors. He also earned numerous all-tournament honors,
first-team all-conference, and led his team to the MCC Conference Title as a
senior, the first time in school history.
Coach Heiar said, “I am thankful for the opportunity to coach this team. Chipola
is a fine institution with great traditions. We will work extremely hard to
continue those traditions.”
Heiar and his wife, Jessica, have a five year-old daughter, Alexis.