Cumberland University Confirms Blum's Hiring

April 12, 2018 at 4:29 p.m.

By Cumberland University Press Release-

LEBANON, Tenn. – Cumberland University Director of Athletics Ron Pavan announced the hiring of Scott Blum as the women’s basketball head coach for the Phoenix, effective immediately.

Blum has spent the last 14 years as head coach at Grace College.

The Lady Lancers posted a pair of 20-win seasons during Blum’s tenure at his alma mater, including 20-15 in 2011-12, the program’s first winning season since 1991-92 and the first 20-win campaign in school history.

Grace finished 20-16 this past season. The program has averaged 17.0 wins over the last eight seasons, including an 18-17 mark in 2014-15 and 19-17 in 2012-13. Blum has compiled 209 career victories.

“We feel very lucky to have found someone with Scott’s experience to take over the women’s basketball program at Cumberland,” Pavan said. “He has over 20 years of head coaching experience, all at the NAIA level, and has a great understanding of coaching and teaching at a small, private university. His teams have a history of postseason play as well as a 100 percent graduation rate.”

Blum brings a wealth of coaching experience, serving as men’s basketball head coach at Indiana Wesleyan in Marion, Ind., from 1995-97, leading the program to the NCCAA national championship in 1995, and head men’s coach at Trinity International in Deerfield, Ill., from 1998-01.

He spent one year as the boys basketball coach at Lakewood Park Christian School in Auburn, Ind., and two seasons as an assistant men’s coach at Grace before becoming the women’s head coach for the 2004-05 campaign.

“I’m very excited for this new chapter in my life and look forward to continuing to build on the winning program at Cumberland,” Blum said. “This is a fresh start for me, like getting your first job and the excitement that goes with that. Ron and the administration at Cumberland have some great things in place with the student-athletes and I look forward to working with all of the coaches and staff in Lebanon.”

As a starting guard in the early 1990s, Blum earned NAIA All-America honors twice and was a major component in the men’s basketball team’s national championship in 1992 at Grace. He also garnered the Pete Maravich Award as the NCCAA Player of the Year in 1992.

Blum scored 1,576 career points at Oregon-Davis High School and became the only player to have his number retired in school history. He then played two years at Valparaiso University before transferring to Grace for his final two seasons, helping the Lancers to a 59-11 record over that span.

Blum, a member of the 1988 Indiana All-Star team that also included NBA star Shawn Kemp, earned his bachelor’s in Physical Education from Grace in 1993 and received a master’s in Physical Education from Ball State in 2002.

Blum and his wife, Michelle, have three sons – Tanner, Connor and Asher.

LEBANON, Tenn. – Cumberland University Director of Athletics Ron Pavan announced the hiring of Scott Blum as the women’s basketball head coach for the Phoenix, effective immediately.

Blum has spent the last 14 years as head coach at Grace College.

The Lady Lancers posted a pair of 20-win seasons during Blum’s tenure at his alma mater, including 20-15 in 2011-12, the program’s first winning season since 1991-92 and the first 20-win campaign in school history.

Grace finished 20-16 this past season. The program has averaged 17.0 wins over the last eight seasons, including an 18-17 mark in 2014-15 and 19-17 in 2012-13. Blum has compiled 209 career victories.

“We feel very lucky to have found someone with Scott’s experience to take over the women’s basketball program at Cumberland,” Pavan said. “He has over 20 years of head coaching experience, all at the NAIA level, and has a great understanding of coaching and teaching at a small, private university. His teams have a history of postseason play as well as a 100 percent graduation rate.”

Blum brings a wealth of coaching experience, serving as men’s basketball head coach at Indiana Wesleyan in Marion, Ind., from 1995-97, leading the program to the NCCAA national championship in 1995, and head men’s coach at Trinity International in Deerfield, Ill., from 1998-01.

He spent one year as the boys basketball coach at Lakewood Park Christian School in Auburn, Ind., and two seasons as an assistant men’s coach at Grace before becoming the women’s head coach for the 2004-05 campaign.

“I’m very excited for this new chapter in my life and look forward to continuing to build on the winning program at Cumberland,” Blum said. “This is a fresh start for me, like getting your first job and the excitement that goes with that. Ron and the administration at Cumberland have some great things in place with the student-athletes and I look forward to working with all of the coaches and staff in Lebanon.”

As a starting guard in the early 1990s, Blum earned NAIA All-America honors twice and was a major component in the men’s basketball team’s national championship in 1992 at Grace. He also garnered the Pete Maravich Award as the NCCAA Player of the Year in 1992.

Blum scored 1,576 career points at Oregon-Davis High School and became the only player to have his number retired in school history. He then played two years at Valparaiso University before transferring to Grace for his final two seasons, helping the Lancers to a 59-11 record over that span.

Blum, a member of the 1988 Indiana All-Star team that also included NBA star Shawn Kemp, earned his bachelor’s in Physical Education from Grace in 1993 and received a master’s in Physical Education from Ball State in 2002.

Blum and his wife, Michelle, have three sons – Tanner, Connor and Asher.
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092

e-Edition


e-edition

Sign up


for our email newsletters

Weekly Top Stories

Sign up to get our top stories delivered to your inbox every Sunday

Daily Updates & Breaking News Alerts

Sign up to get our daily updates and breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox daily

Latest Stories


Public Occurrences 05.05.25
County Jail Bookings The following people were arrested and booked into the Kosciusko County Jail:

GOP Chair To Appoint Next Etna Green Clerk-Treasurer
A date and time has been set for Kosciusko County Republican Central Committee Chairman Mike Ragan to appoint the next Etna Green clerk-treasurer.

A ‘Gem’
Editor, Times-Union: We have a "gem" in news reporting here in Warsaw!

The Lawless Party
Editor, Times-Union: Democrats have a long history of supporting lawlessness and they have the nerve to say no one is above the law. At times they act like spoiled children that expect to get their way all the time even if they have been naughty.

Just Plain Embarrassing
Editor, Times-Union: Donald Trump’s first 100 days have provided the most destruction, lawlessness, and cruelty our country has ever experienced.