University of Minnesota at Duluth (1969), University of Minnesota (1980)
Overall collegiate record: 566-136 (21 seasons)
Overall high school record: 153-51 (nine seasons)

Head coach Scott Gernander enters his 22nd season at the helm of the San Jacinto College men’s basketball program, and his intensity and passion for coaching hasn’t changed. Entering the 2008-09 season, Gernander owns a 566-136 overall record, amounting to an astounding .806 win percentage. Gernander’s record as San Jac’s all-time winningest coach offers evidence of his success. He’s taken his teams to the national tournament on eight different occasions, finishing as the national runner-up twice. Several players have moved on to NCAA Division I institutions, and many have gone on to play professional ball.

Last season was no exception for Gernander, as he guided his team to the Region XIV semifinals, completing the season at 23-9, and outscoring opponents an average of 86-77. Five players went on to earn scholarships at NCAA institutions. The highlight of last season came before a single game was ever played, as Gernander was inducted into his the University of Minnesota at Duluth (UMD) Athletic Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Hall of Fame, and is an eight-time NJCAA Region XIV coach of the year.

Gernander’s protégé’s include NBA all-stars Steve Francis of the Houston Rockets, and Sam Cassell, who helped the Boston Celtics win the 2008 NBA title.

Gernander began his coaching career at Tower Soudan High School (Minnesota) where he coached for seven years. He then made his way to Texas as the head coach at South Houston High School. In 1980 he was hired as an assistant coach at San Jacinto College, and was named head coach prior to the 1987-88 season.

A four-time letterwinner in both football and basketball at UMD, Gernander led the Bulldogs on the hardcourt in points per game as senior with 11.7. That season, he was named the UMD men’s basketball most valuable player and outstanding senior athlete.

Gernander holds a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Minnesota-Duluth, and a master’s degree in education from the University of Minnesota. He and his wife, Bernie, have six children: Marc, Lee (deceased), Bridget, Andrea, Paige, and Scott Robert, who is in his first year as an assistant coach with San Jac.

The Gernander File
Career Record: 566-136

• 2007-08: 23-9, Region XIV semifinals
• 2006-07: 23-8, Region XIV quarterfinals
• 2005-06: 24-12, NJCAA tournament qualifier
• 2004-05: 31-3, conference champion
• 2003-04: 27-4, conference champion
• 2002-03: 28-10, NJCAA national champion runner up
• 2001-02: 30-2, conference champion
• 2000-01: 30-6, NJCAA tournament qualifier
• 1999-2000: 30-5, NJCAA tournament qualifier
• 1998-99: 25-7, conference co-champion
• 1997-98: 26-4, conference champion
• 1996-97: 36-1, NJCAA national champion runner up
• 1995-96: 24-7, state qualifier
• 1994-95: 17-14, state qualifier
• 1993-94: 14-15, state qualifier
• 1992-93: 24-6, conference champion
• 1991-92: 25-9, NJCAA tournament qualifier
• 1990-91: 27-4, conference champion
• 1989-90: 34-4, 7th at NJCAA tournament
• 1988-89: 35-4, 3rd at NJCAA tournament
• 1987-88: 32-2, conference champion

Sam Houston State University (1984), University of Texas at Tyler (1986)

Entering his 22nd season as an assistant coach at San Jacinto College, Scott Horstman has a wealth of knowledge about basketball, head coach Scott Gernander, and the San Jac program. He’s been a part of all the NJCAA tournament appearances and conference championships, and has had a hand in the success of the players who have gone on to NCAA Division I schools.

“Scott and I have built a great relationship over the years,” said Gernander. “HE and I know what we want for the College and our program. He’s worked very hard to get us where we want to be.”

Horstman was a four-year letterwinner at Sam Houston State University, where he was an all-conference guard for the Bearkats. He holds the SHSU record for most assists in a game (18 vs. Dallas Baptist, 1983-84), most assists in a season (241, 1983-84), and most career assists (813, 1980-84). He was inducted into the Sam Houston State University Hall of Honor in 2007.

The 46-year-old Horstman began his coaching career in 1985 as an assistant coach at Tyler Junior College. He then held a stint as an assistant at Howard College before arriving at San Jacinto College in 1987.

Horstman holds a master’s degree in education from The University of Texas at Tyler. He has two daughters, Amanda and Lindsey.

 

Sam Houston State University (2005, M.A. 2008)

After spending a season as a graduate assistant coach at his alma mater, Sam Houston State University, Scott R. Gernander returns to the school where his collegiate playing days began to serve as an assistant coach under his legendary father.

As a graduate assistant at Sam Houston State from 2005-2008, the younger Gernander coached on teams that recorded a combined 66-27 record, and had three 20-win seasons in the Southland Conference.

The 25-year-old Gernander played as a guard at SHSU from 2003 to 2005, averaging seven minutes a game as a top reserve. The Bearkats were 31-27 during his time on the hardcourt. Prior to playing at Sam Houston, Gernander was a member of the San Jacinto College men’s basketball team, where he played on teams that went 57-12, won two conference titles, and were national junior college runners-up. He averaged 8.1 points per game while at San Jac.

Before playing at San Jac for his father, Scott was a first team all-district and second team all-region guard for Coach Boyce Paxton at Sam Rayburn High School in Pasadena. He averaged 17.8 points as a senior.

Gernander received his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from Sam Houston State in 2005 and a Master of Arts in Kinesiology in 2008. He was married to Amanda Crabtree in June of 2008.

 

Tom Sewell	1961-1967	141-89
Ron Rucker	1967-1969	88-5
Dean Evans	1969-1974	165-32
Wayne Ballard	1974-1977	103-18
Ronnie Arrow	1977-87	301-43
Scott Gernander	1987-current	566-136
Total	1961-2008	1,364-323