Bio

Head Coach Ray Shovlain has always challenged the student-athletes in all programs to "Bee" leaders. A St. Ambrose University leader defines winning as an everyday effort to improve themselves, others around them, and the communities in which they are involved. Over the past four-plus decades, Shovlain and his staff have strived to instill that leadership in the student-athletes that participate in men's basketball.

The Fighting Bees have experienced tremendous success since Shovlain was named head basketball coach in 1983-84. This success starts with the quality, readiness, performance and community involvement that the men's basketball program has been able to achieve.

Given that foundation, success on the basketball court has followed. Shovlain has achieved 706 victories and 18 20-win seasons over his stellar career. The basketball program has earned 10 NAIA National Tournament appearances and four Sweet 16 finishes under Shovlain, including the school's first and only trip to the Final Four in 2004, when the team set a school record for most victories in a single season (32).

This has been accomplished against an extremely competitive and challenging schedule that has included many contests against NCAA Division I and II competitors. The program has elected to schedule the best opponents possible. This year's schedule is no different. Past seasons have included games against many NCAA Division I opponents, including California State at Los Angeles, Creighton, Indiana State, Loyola Marymount, St. Louis University, the University of San Diego, Western Illinois, Eastern Illinois, DePaul, Bradley, Loyola University Chicago and Notre Dame.

Well regarded by his peers, Shovlain has spoken at a number of summer basketball camps at DePaul, Drake, Colorado State, Illinois State, Louisville and Notre Dame. After the 1988-89 season, Shovlain was the recipient of the Paul Maaske Memorial Award, an award given annually by the Iowa Basketball Coaches Association to the leading small college coach in the state.

Shovlain has also gained nationwide recognition as the activity director of the National Youth Sports Program (NYSP) at St. Ambrose. The NYSP is a summer youth program aimed to help economically disadvantaged children ages 10-16 in the Quad City area. The St. Ambrose University NYSP program was selected for the Silvio O. Conte Award in 1996, recognizing them as the top NYSP program in the country.

A graduate of Clinton's St. Mary's High School, Shovlain led his team to the 1975 Iowa State Championship while earning All-State honors. As a four-year letterman at St. Ambrose, Shovlain still holds the single-game, season and career assist records and was inducted into the SAU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993. He went on to earn his Master's of Business Administration at St. Ambrose in 1982.

In addition to coaching, Shovlain's position at St. Ambrose allows him to fulfill one of his other passions, which is teaching in the College of Business. Shovlain was selected Professor of the Year in 1989 and 1993. Shovlain and his wife Betsy currently reside in Davenport. They are blessed with two children, Katelyn Rae and Sean Michael.