Basketball Coach
When Tom Heil came back to Baldwin Wallace University eight years ago, he returned with two thoughts in-mind; one, building a team based on character and family; and two, that BW and its tradition, support and location was a winning combination. In his first three seasons back in Berea, Heil and his staff have compiled a 70-42 record, and they have led the Yellow Jackets to two OAC Championship games (2017 and 2019) and one semifinal (2018).
Heil returned to BW in the spring of 2015 after serving as the head coach at Defiance College for one season. He led the Yellow Jackets to a 22-7 record, including a 15-0 mark at home. Defiance captured both the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference regular season and HCAC Tournament titles. Heil guided his team into the NCAA Division III National Tournament where it posted the school’s first-ever NCAA Division III National Tournament victory by knocking off the defending national champions.
Prior to his experience at Defiance, Heil served as the main assistant coach under Duane Sheldon ’94. In five seasons on the BW coaching staff, Heil helped guide the team to a 58-44 record.
Heil earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration at Bluffton in 2007. He continues to work on his Master of Arts in Sports Science degree.
Tom and his wife, Kathleen, were married in August of 2013 and have a son, Camden, who is six years-old, and a daughter, Dawson, who is three years-old.