SILOAM SPRINGS -- It didn't take long for Jason Beschta to convince John Brown University athletic director Robyn Daugherty he was the right man to lead the Golden Eagles men's basketball program.

"I was telling Dr. (Steve) Beers that within the first 10 minutes of my communication with him, just face-to-face talking the broad picture of things, I knew he was going to be a terrific fit if we could land this guy," Daugherty said."

In the end, JBU got the man it wanted.

Beschta, 35, was introduced Tuesday as the new men's basketball coach at JBU, only the 10th in program history.

Beschta comes to John Brown after spending the last three years as head coach at Oklahoma Wesleyan, where he accumulated a 62-36 overall record and 32-12 mark in the Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference.

This past season, Oklahoma Wesleyan finished 25-10 overall and 12-2 in conference play. OKWU advanced to the round of 16 of the NAIA Division II National Tournament. The Eagles also were co-champions of their conference and a conference tournament finalist. Beschta himself was named MCAC Coach of the Year.

Beschta said he and his family are excited about the opportunity to come to JBU.

"What a tremendous opportunity to come to a university like this," Beschta said. "Moving up into the SAC, NAIA Divison I level is awesome. It's definitely a step up. To be at a school like this that is excellent about everything they do, whether it's the academics or part of the athletics, it's neat to be a part of."

The Golden Eagles job came open last month when seventh-year coach Clark Sheehy resigned to take the same position at Southwest Baptist (Mo.). Sheehy was 154-77 (.667) in seven seasons, including an 83-63 mark in Sooner Athletic Conference play.

JBU finished last season with a 21-11 record overall and 10-10 mark in SAC play.

Beschta said he hopes to pick right up where Sheehy left off at JBU.

"There aren't a lot of jobs like this out there," Beschta said. "I'm incredibly blessed and fortunate to be at a place like this. It's not something I'm trying to start from scratch and build a program. This is taking and inheriting a program that's been at a very high level for a number of years."

Beschta is familiar with JBU's many basketball traditions, including the annual Toilet Paper Game. He's also had experience as the opposing coach against the Golden Eagles. On Dec. 1, 2012, his Oklahoma Wesleyan team came into Bill George Arena and handed JBU its first loss of the season 73-71.

"It's neat to be able to walk into that and put my own stamp on things," Beschta said. "But it's not like I have to come in and clean house and get all new players or anything like that or play a whole new different style. It already kind of fits a little bit with what I do. They've got some really great players coming back and some new ones coming in. I think we've got a chance to continue to be at a high level from the beginning."

Before coming to Oklahoma Wesleyan, Beschta had four previous coaching stops. In 2001-2002, he was an assistant coach at Bryan College (Tenn.), where he was an all-conference player and second-leading scorer and 3-point shooter in school history.

He spent two seasons as a graduate assistant at Baylor under head coach Scott Drew.

"John Brown University made a tremendous hire by getting a coach with the high character and qualities Jason models," Drew said in a statement released by JBU. "He possesses great knowledge, relates well with people and is very humble and an extremely hard-working coach. He has done a great job everywhere he has been, including helping build our basketball program at Baylor."

Beschta spent four seasons as an assistant coach at Minnesota State-Moorhead and three more years as an assistant at Cedarville (Ohio) before being hired as head coach at Oklahoma Wesleyan.

"He's just a perfect fit for JBU as far as his philosophy of his program and what he wants to see happen," Daugherty said. "A good guy."

Sports on 06/18/2014