MERILLAT COMPLEX

STAFF DIRECTORY

SCHEDULE

As Head Coach Lori Culler heads into her twenty-second year at the Forester helm, several distinctions have become the norm for the women’s basketball program.

 On the court, Culler’s teams have been distinctly successful on a number of levels.  Her teams, which have won an average of 17 games during her 21 years, have posted 14 winning seasons.  Seven squads brought home a Mid-Central Conference (MCC) title, including five teams that went undefeated through conference play, and two teams were crowned NCCAA National Champions in 1991 and 1992.  Culler also guided her 1993-94 team to the program’s first appearance in the NAIA National Tournament.  Twenty-two times her players have earned NAIA and/or NCCAA All-America honors, and on 39 occasions players have received MCC All-Conference honors, including Amy Bechtel, who was a MCC Player of the Year.  

The success of Culler’s teams has led to her own recognition.  Throughout her coaching career, Culler has been acknowledged as Coach of the Year at the NCCAA and NAIA District level.  She was named the Mid-Central Conference Coach of the Year seven times and NCCAA National Coach of the Year twice.  Last season Culler notched the 350^th victory of her career in a very memorable 106-92 win over Olivet Nazarene University on November 18, the same day she was inducted into Huntington University’s Athletic Hall of Fame.  Heading into the 2007-08 season, Culler’s career record stands at 362-249. 

Because of Culler’s commitment to the concept of the student-athlete, it is not surprising that her teams have had notable success in the classroom as well.  Eleven years ago, the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) began publishing a Top-25 Team Honor Roll.  Last year’s team made the program’s ninth appearance on the list.   The Foresters placed 15^th within the NAIA with their 3.367 team grade point average.  Fifteen individual players also have been recognized as NAIA or NCCAA All-America Scholar-Athletes and a remarkable 96% of her scholarship players have earned their degrees. 

Culler also has given back to the sport with her involvement in various activities at the conference, regional, and national levels.  During her 21 years, Culler has served as chair of the MCC and NAIA Region VIII women’s basketball committees; she was the conference rater for 12 years and served terms on the NAIA Division II Women's Basketball National Tournament Committee and the Francis Naismith-Pomeroy Selection Committee.  Culler also is an active member of the WBCA. 

During her playing career as a Forester, 1982-1985, Culler scored 1307 points and was the third women’s player to join Huntington’s 1000 Point Club.  She was a member of the 1984 NCCAA national championship basketball team and received NAIA Academic All-American and Honorable Mention All-American honors.  Culler is a 1986 graduate of Huntington College and earned her MS in Athletic Administration from Ball State University.  She currently serves as Sports Information Director and Coordinator of Athletic Eligibility.

Joe Grogg - Assistant Coach

Joe Grogg returns for his third season as an assistant for the Foresters.  He brings a variety of coaching experiences to the position.  Grogg, who graduated from Huntington College in 1976, assisted Forester men’s coach Keith Spahr from 1974 to 1978.  From 1985-1994, he served as an assistant coach in the boys’ program at Jay County High School.  In 1995, Grogg took on his first head coaching responsibilities as boys’ coach at Adams Central High School.  During his four-year stint, the Flying Jets continued to improve and eventually reached the Sectional final in his final season.  Most recently, he assisted Huntington North Viking boys coach, Eric Foister for two years.  

After taking some time off to watch his daughter Jamie, a 2005 Forester grad, complete her playing career, Grogg has returned to his alma mater to again pursue a favorite pastime.   His coaching responsibilities mainly include recruiting and help with practices.  Currently Grogg teaches biology and chemistry at Huntington North High School.  He, and his wife, Diana, live in Huntington and are the proud grandparents of Isaac Ryan Grogg, born to Jeremy and Roxanne Grogg in February of 2006.

Joanne Green - Assistant Coach

Joanne (Miller) Green returns for her 14th season as an assistant coach.  Green provides assistance with practices and recruiting.  During Green’s years as an undergraduate at Huntington College, she excelled both as a student and as an athlete.  As a result of her athletic prowess, Miller received NAIA Scholar-Athlete and NAIA Honorable Mention All-American honors as well as NCCAA All-American honors.  Green was also a member of the 1991 and 1992 NCCAA national championship teams.  She was named MVP at both national tournaments.  She finished her stellar career at Huntington as the women’s all-time leading scorer with 1906 points.  Green’s outstanding basketball career was recognized last fall with her induction into Huntington University’s Athletic Hall of Fame. 

As a student, Green earned Dean’s List honors in each of her eight semesters at Huntington and was inducted into the Alpha Chi National Honor Society.  She graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BA in psychology in 1993.  She also earned her MS in student personnel administration in higher education from Ball State University in 1996.   

Green is currently employed part-time at Huntington University’s Merillat Complex and also works at EmbroideMe part-time.  Green, her husband Mark and stepson Tyler reside in Columbia City.