Steve Howes has in seven years become the fourth-winningest coach in Catholic University basketball history. With four more victories he will move to third. 

Howes entered the 2010-11 season tied with the late Jack Bruen with 110 victories. The legendary coach guided the Cardinals from 1982-89 and built the foundation upon which the program thrives today. Bruen went on to lead Colgate University to two Patriot League championships and a pair of NCAA Tournaments.

Howes passed Bruen when the Cards won twice and captured the championship of the season-opening Allegheny Invitational in Meadville, Pa. He enters his eighth year at CUA just three wins shy of tying another legend, Tom Young.

Young coached the Cardinals from 1958-67 and posted a record of 134-88 (.604). In 1964 he led CUA to the Mason-Dixon Conference Tournament championship and a berth in the NCAA College Division Tournament. It was the Cardinals’ first NCAA playoff appearance in 20 years. Young’s greatest success came at Rutgers University, where he was named 1976 Coach of the Year by The Sporting News and UPI after leading the Scarlet Knights (31-2) to the Final Four. 

Howes has a 131-66 overall record and the school’s second-highest winning percentage (.665). He is one of only four CUA basketball coaches to lead teams to the NCAA postseason. He has guided the Cardinals to four 20-win seasons, six postseason tournaments, two conference championships and two NCAA Tournaments. 

His coaching ability is so highly regarded in the national capital area that, in a four-round online poll conducted in December 2008 by The Washington Post, he was voted the area’s best men’s basketball coach.

Another Season of Accomplishment
Howes led the Cards to a 21-9 record in 2010-11 and its first appearance in the Landmark Conference title game. They won two contests in the ECAC South Region Championship before falling at Lebanon Valley College in the title game. The Cardinals began the season 6-0 and won eight out of nine late in the year. 

Individually, seniors Jason Banzhaf and R.J. Dixon were named first-team All-Landmark Conference. It was Banzhaf’s third such honor and Dixon’s second. Banzhaf finished as CUA’s third all-time leading scorer (1,822 points) and ranks No. 1 among players who competed exclusively in Division III. He is also just the second player in school history to be named honorable mention All-American three times.

In the classroom, Dixon, Ryan Horka, Darrell Carroll and Chris Kearney were named to the Winter Landmark Conference Academic Honor Roll with a minimum 3.2 GPA.

The Cardinals kicked off their 100th-anniversary season last year with a preseason game at the University of Notre Dame. The trip included a visit to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, and a behind-the-scenes tour of the Fighting Irish’s storied athletic tradition. 

Notre Dame Coach Mike Brey praised Howes prior to the Irish’s 72-47 victory. 

“He’s done a great job,” Brey said. “Look at his record, how prepared his kids are, how kids improve in his program. You know, at the end of the day at a place like Catholic U. and a place like Notre Dame, you’re a teacher and the style of the teacher is important.

“I’d say this about Steve: I’d want my son to play for him – a positive guy who’s enthusiastic every day, who’s in it for the right reasons. So I think Catholic U. has a gem in their head coach.”

One of the Nation’s Finest Division III Programs
Away from his coaching duties, Howes works tirelessly to provide current and former players, students, coaches and fans with a model program in which they can take pride. He supports his players’ academic pursuits to the fullest and works to secure them valuable internships.

Howes has forged strong relationships with CUA basketball alumni and has expanded and upgraded the Cardinals’ media guide. He also played a key role in organizing 100th-anniversary activities. His club will begin the season with a preseason game against another major college opponent when it plays at the University of Florida.

Howes was beaming with pride during the offseason. First, Aaron Kelly, one of his former point guards, came to Washington, D.C., as an assistant coach at Bucknell University for the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Then his mentor, Mike Lonergan, left the University of Vermont to become head coach at nearby George Washington University. Soon after, John Becker, one of Howes’ former assistants, succeeded Lonergan at Vermont. Terry Sullivan, another former Howes’ assistant coach, kept the good times rolling as assistant video coordinator of the NBA World Champion Dallas Mavericks. 

Howes enjoys his perch atop one of the nation’s top NCAA Division III programs.

“I am honored and privileged each day to be at the helm of this elite program,” said Howes, who earned his 100th career victory when the Cards won the 2010 CUA/Residence Inn Greenbelt Classic. “There are countless players, manager and coaches who have built and added to this great legacy. I take very seriously my role as caretaker and work hard to add to our rich tradition of excellence on and off the court.” 

Landmark Progress
CUA has shown steady progress since becoming a charter member of the Landmark Conference in 2007-08. After winning 10 games, the Cardinals improved to 18-10 in 2008-09 and 18-9 (10-4 Landmark) in 2009-10. Their 21-9 mark last season included a 9-5 league record. Howes piloted CUA to its first Landmark Tournament victory last season when it won at Drew University, 71-58. 

The 2010-11 Cardinals won three league games by a combined 110 points, the program’s largest aggregate margin of victory in three consecutive games ever. The Cards, playing at home, downed Moravian, 105-58; Susquehanna, 84-57; and Juniata, 68-32. The latter win, Jan. 29, 2011, was the day the program celebrated its centennial season by honoring former players and coaches.

Crowning Glory
CUA, the most successful team in Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) history, punctuated its league affiliation by winning its second straight CAC championship in 2007. The crowning moment came in the Cardinals’ 85-75 come-from-behind victory on the road over Hood College. The CAC title was CUA’s seventh.

The win over top-seeded Hood put the Cards (23-6) into the NCAA Tournament for the ninth time in 10 years. Howes enjoyed his first NCAA playoff victory with a 58-37 triumph at home over Messiah College. CUA held Messiah to the third-lowest point total in NCAA Division III tournament history.

Howes led the Cardinals to three straight CAC title games, compiled an 8-1 league tournament record and won six consecutive contests in the CAC playoffs. 

Helping Players Soar
Howes’ coaching and mentoring helped a bevy of Cardinals achieve high marks athletically and academically. In 2006-07, senior Scott Fumai was named first-team All-CAC, and seniors Patrick Dwyer and Stephen Wheeler notched second-team honors. Wheeler and Fumai were named to the D3hoops.com All-Region third team.

At CUA’s Senior Student-Athlete Banquet, Wheeler received the highest honor for male graduating student-athletes by winning the Harris Cup in recognition of outstanding achievement in athletics, academics, leadership and service. Dwyer was honored as Male Senior Student Athlete of the Year, and Sean Kelly was presented a Student Athlete Advisory Committee role model award. In addition, Wheeler, Dwyer and Kelly were named to the NABC Honors Court. 

Dwyer continued his career on the professional level by playing the 2007-08 season for the Manchester (England) Magic.

Nick Olivero, who also played on the Cardinal football team, was honored as CUA’s Student-Athlete of the Year in 2006-07 and received the first John J. Convey Award. The latter is given to a sophomore who has succeeded academically, been active in student life and has demonstrated leadership potential. Olivero was selected to the 2007-08 Winter Landmark Academic Honor Roll.

Advancing to the Postseason
Howes earned his first CAC championship and NCAA Tournament berth in 2006 with a 79-70 victory over Salisbury (Md.) University. The Cards finished 21-7 and 10-4 in the league. Dwyer was named first-team All-CAC, while Shane Sowden garnered second-team Academic All-District 2 honors and received CUA’s Harris Cup.

Cardinal fans caught a glimpse of Howes’ coaching ability during his first year (2004-05). CUA finished 20-10 and advanced to the CAC title game, and Sowden was selected first-team All-Conference. The Cards accepted a bid to the ECAC South Region Championship and won their first two contests to advance to the championship game.

While working under his predecessor Lonergan, Howes helped the Cardinals become one of America’s most dominant programs.

Building Championship Teams
During Howes’ two tenures (1998-2000, 2001-2004) as a CUA assistant, the Cardinals amassed a record of 121-26 (.823), won five CAC regular-season titles and two CAC Tournament championships. The Cards advanced to the NCAA Tournament each year, twice going to the Sweet Sixteen and once to the Elite Eight. The 2001-02 team went 26-3 to set the school’s season winning percentage record (.897). Howes has coached 12 players who have scored more than 1,000 career points.

Howes’ recruiting ability and talent-evaluation skills helped CUA land many of the top recruits that formed the nucleus of the Cardinals’ 2001 national championship team. Sophomore Matt Hilleary was named All-Tournament of the 2001 Final Four and a second-team All-American in each of his final two seasons. He played professionally in 2006-07 in Ireland and the following year in Italy. William Morley, a freshman on the title-winning team, became CUA’s only first-team All-American in 2004.

Grooming Professionals
Howes specializes in shooting instruction and has conducted individual workouts for many top college and professional players. Roger Mason (New York Knicks); Earl Hunt (Brown University); Chris Monroe (George Washington University); Eddie Lucas, a 1999 second-round draft pick of the Utah Jazz; and James Gist, a 2008 San Antonio Spurs’ draft pick who played in Serbia last season, are among the athletes he helped develop. Monroe played in Italy a year ago, and he and Hunt are their respective school’s all-time leading scorers.

When Mason played for San Antonio in 2009-10, Howes was a guest of Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich for the start of training camp. Tommy Sheppard, the Washington Wizards’ vice president of basketball operations, invited Howes to Washington’s 2009 rookie camp and 2010 training camp. He has for the last two summers been the only Division III coach to participate in the invitation-only University of Florida coaches’ clinic. 

Howes worked as head JV and assistant boys varsity coach at Good Counsel High School when it was in Wheaton, Md. During his three seasons (1995-98), he helped the Falcons achieve a local Top 20 ranking each year. He coached a host of NCAA Division I players, including Mason (University of Virginia), Monroe, Hunt, Gist (University of Maryland), Omari Isreal (Loyola University Maryland) and Gini Chukura (Maryland). Another player, Kevin App, is an assistant coach at Army.

In addition, Howes worked with two players (Zach Hilton and Chas Gessner) who played in the NFL. Hilton caught 35 passes for the New Orleans Saints in 2005, and Gessner earned a Super Bowl ring with the 2003 New England Patriots.

In 1998, Howes served as an assistant in the prestigious Capital Classic high school All-Star game. The game featured NBA veteran Troy Murphy (Boston Celtics). Howes was on Lonergan’s staff for the following two seasons and then returned to Good Counsel before rejoining the Cards in 2001.

Howes and CUA Athletic Director Mike Allen joined the 2008 NBA World Champion Boston Celtics when they were honored at the White House in September 2008 by former President George W. Bush.

Coaching Tree
When Howes became the 20th head basketball coach in CUA history on July 19, 2004, he stepped into a role that has launched the careers of many successful coaches. In addition to 

Young, Lonergan and Bruen, Jack Kvancz served as George Washington’s athletic director from 1994-2011, and Bob Valvano is an ESPN broadcaster.

Although he never coached the Cardinals, former CUA standout Jimmy Patsos followed his successful tenure as a Maryland assistant by becoming head coach at Division I Loyola University Maryland. He was on Gary Williams’ staff when the Terrapins won the 2002 National Championship.

Along with Becker, Kelly and Sullivan, 2010-11 assistant coach Garrett Kelly is now video coordinator at Radford (Va.) University. Former point guard Mike Wasilenko was an assistant at Salisbury (Md.) University, and former manager Andrew Gunderson was an assistant coach at Averett University.

Playing Days
After playing at Frostburg (Md.) State University from 1991-93, Howes transferred to CUA for his final two seasons. He started 14 games as a junior under Lonergan, including a 12-point, 12-rebound performance at Gettysburg College. He graduated from The Catholic University of America in 1996 with a bachelor’s degree in history.

A team captain and Coach’s Award winner at Good Counsel, Howes played on a team that set the Falcons’ record for most wins up to that time. He received the school’s Christian Conduct Award as a junior and graduated in 1991. 

Personal
Howes, who taught religion and history at Good Counsel from 1997-2004, stresses the importance of community service to his players. They have visited youngsters at nearby Children’s National Medical Center and are active each year in events such as “Wreaths Across America” at Arlington National Cemetery. He also participates in SOME (So Others Might Eat) at his church, St. Peter’s in Olney, Md. 

Howes is active in the National Association of Basketball Coaches and has been a featured speaker at numerous basketball camps. He hosts a camp at CUA each summer.

Stephen Todd Howes, 38, is a native of Washington, D.C. His wife, Melanie, also graduated from Good Counsel and played varsity field hockey and soccer at Immaculata College. They live in Olney with their son, Michael Patrick, 7, and daughter, Sarah Elizabeth, 3.