Coach Daniel Leeworthy notched his 200th career win as Head Coach of the Umpqua Community College RiverHawks with an impressive 83-75 win at Shasta College. Commenting on his achievement Leeworthy said, "It was a great night, the team Gatorade showered me, and we had BYU Football legend Isaac Rex who attended the game talk to the team after the win too; it was a special night".
Leeworthy now in his 20th season as a College Coach and 12th as Head Coach, accepted the position at UCC right before the 2013-14 season kicked off. The 5 years before Coach Leeworthy's arrival, the RiverHawks had a 34-95 win/loss record. Contemplating on his journey at UCC Leeworthy commented "The 1st season was a struggle, but the most important thing was establishing expectations and the culture of winning, and I enjoyed Coaching that group". The team ended with a 6-20 record. The 2014-15 season saw Leeworthy bring in his 1st recruiting class and the results quickly showed with the team going to the playoffs for the 1st time in 7 years. His 3rd season at the helm was met with unimaginable adversity with a campus shooting that took the life of Treven Anspach one of Coach Leeworthy's players. "That year was the hardest of my life, but I couldn't worry about myself, I had to care for others in a deeper and more meaningful way, but it was a struggle in many ways", Coach said. Remarkably the team finished with a winning record.
The following year, the RiverHawks won the Southern region championship and went to the Final Four. The Final Four game was controversial when UCC should have been awarded many technical foul shots when the opposing team's bench ran onto the court during a scuffle between 2 players, but none were forthcoming. The game came down to only a single possession. "We don't dwell too much on the past, that season was special in many ways, and things happen in basketball that are out of your control. But it was a fun team to Coach, and we hung 2 banners that season." The team also was one of the favorites to win the NWAC championship during both shortened COVID years with the team going 25-4, and 16-1 respectively in those seasons.
Regardless of the past, the future is bright for the team. Since Coach Leeworthy's 1st recruiting class arrived on the UCC Campus the RiverHawks have gone an amazing 195-89 in the win/loss column and have been 103-34 over the last 6 seasons. A juggernaut who doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon, especially with the energy Leeworthy still brings to coaching his team. "I still want to win, I still love being in the gym, I still love recruiting, I still love seeing players grow on and off the court, I still love receiving wedding invitations and having relationships with my players long after they leave UCC, the flame still burns, I couldn't be more excited for the future, I am lucky to do this as a profession" exclaimed Coach Leeworthy.
The team is off to a fast start this season (4-1) despite having a team full of freshmen and playing a tough schedule having played games in Arizona and California. On Saturday afternoon the RiverHawks toppled Yuba 83-60, Coach Leeworthy's 201st Career Win at UCC. Coach Leeworthy is only behind UCC Coaching greats Rod Snook (240-211), and Cy Perkins (212-174) for the most career wins as Head Coach for Men's Basketball.
