Steve Grant, served at the helm of the program from 1982 through the fall season of 2015 and established the program as one of the most consistent winners in the nation during that time. Grant retired in the summer of 2020 after 38 years of service to George Fox.
In Grant's 34 years coaching at George Fox, the Bruins ended the season on the plus side of the ledger 21 times, including 13 straight winning records from 1987 through 1999. With more than 600 wins, he ranked 14th in victories among active NCAA Division III coaches, and 22nd all-time among D-III coaches while active at Fox.
Grant's teams made their mark in postseason play as well. While a member of the National Christian College Athletic Association, George Fox won NCCAA national championships in 1984 (30-10) and 1987 (33-22), and each time he was named NCCAA National Coach of the Year. While holding dual membership in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics at the same time, he was named NAIA District 2 Coach of the Year for leading the Bruins to outstanding seasons in 1984 and 1990 (31-13).
Two Grant-coached teams have won conference championships. His first team in 1982 (17-14) captured the crown in the Women's Conference of Independent Colleges, the predecessor to the Northwest Conference. In 1998, while a dual member of both the NAIA and the NCAA, the Bruins went 31-8, won the Northwest Conference regular-season and tournament titles, and reached the NAIA National Tournament in Kankakee, Ill., for the only time in team history. Grant was named NWC Coach of the Year for that success. During the 1990s, five of his athletes won NAIA All-American awards, and five were named NAIA All-American Scholar-Athletes.
In the summer of 2007, Grant was named associate director of intercollegiate athletics at George Fox, taking on additional duties that included chairing the Sports Hall of Fame Committee and various game management responsibilities. He served in that capacity until 2014. He also served as chair of the health and human performance department since 2003 and was honored by his peers with the 2006-07 Faculty Achievement Award for Undergraduate Teaching. He also served as an assistant coach with the men's basketball program at George Fox until 1995.
Grant is a 1969 graduate of Biola University, where he was a three-sport athlete. As a guard for the basketball team, he was named team MVP both his junior and senior years. He earned First Team All-Conference, All-District, and All-Far West honors as a defender on the Eagles' soccer team, and played baseball his freshman and junior years. He remained at his alma mater upon graduation for two years as a basketball and soccer assistant coach.
In 1971, Grant moved to Salem, Ore., to become head boys' basketball coach and head baseball coach at Salem Academy. In 1975, he switched from baseball to volleyball. From 1981-82, Grant coached the women's basketball team and was head men's soccer coach at Western Baptist College (now Corban University) in Salem.
Grant, who also earned a master's degree in education from Linfield College in 1985, lives in Newberg with his wife Kathy. They have two sons, both married and living in the Portland area.
Steve Grant's Coaching Ledger
Year | Record | Pct. | Conf. | Pct. | TeamHonors |
1982 | 17-14 | .548 | | | WCIC 1st |
1983 | 14-17 | .452 | | | |
1984 | 30-10 | .750 | | | NCCAA national champions |
1985 | 17-15 | .531 | | | |
1986 | 15-15 | .500 | | | |
1987 | 33-22 | .600 | | | NCCAA national champions |
1988 | 30-13 | .698 | | | |
1989 | 27-18 | .600 | | | |
1990 | 31-13 | .705 | | | |
1991 | 24-17 | .585 | | | |
1992 | 28-20 | .583 | | | |
1993 | 28-18 | .609 | | | |
1994 | 16-15 | .516 | | | |
1995 | 22-11 | .667 | 10-4 | .714 | NWC 2nd (tie); NWC Tournament 2nd |
1996 | 19-13 | .594 | 11-5 | .686 | NWC 3rd; NWC Tournament 3rd (tie) |
1997 | 23-5 | .821 | 14-2 | .875 | NWC 2nd; NWC Tournament 2nd |
1998 | 31-8 | .795 | 15-1 | .938 | NWC 1st; NWC Tournament 1st; NAIA National Tournament |
1999 | 19-7 | .731 | 12-4 | .800 | NWC 2nd |
2000 | 7-15 | .318 | 5-11 | .313 | NWC 7th |
2001 | 19-5 | .792 | 11-5 | .686 | NWC 3rd |
2002 | 20-6 | .769 | 11-5 | .686 | NWC 3rd; #23 national ranking |
2003 | 12-14 | .462 | 7-9 | .438 | NWC 5th (tie) |
2004 | 13-12 | .520 | 8-8 | .500 | NWC 4th |
2005 | 12-11 | .522 | 7-9 | .438 | NWC 5th (tie) |
2006 | 10-17 | .370 | 6-10 | .375 | NWC 5th (tie) |
2007 | 10-13 | .435 | 5-11 | .313 | NWC 7th (tie) |
2008 | 12-14 | .462 | 6-10 | .375 | NWC 6th (tie) |
2009 | 17-7 | .708 | 10-6 | .625 | NWC 3rd (tie) |
2010 | 11-15 | .423 | 6-10 | .375 | NWC 4th (tie) |
2011 | 10-15 | .400 | 5-11 | .313 | NWC 7th (tie) |
2012 | 9-14 | .391 | 7-9 | .438 | NWC 5th (tie) |
2013 | 12-12 | .500 | 7-9 | .438 | NWC 5th (tie) |
2014 | 4-22 | .154 | 3-13 | .188 | NWC 8th |
2015 | 8-16 | .333 | 5-11 | .313 | NWC 8th |
34 yrs | 610-459 | .571 | 171-161 | .515 | |
Grant's Honors
1984 NAIA District 2 Coach of the Year
1984 NCCAA National Coach of the Year
1987 NCCAA National Coach of the Year
1990 NAIA District 2 Coach of the Year
1998 NWC Coach of the Year
Milestone Wins
150 - 2-1 (12-15, 15-9, 15-7) vs. Southern Oregon at Monmouth,Ore. (Western Oregon State Tournament), 10/15/1988
200 - 3-1 (15-13, 17-15, 7-15, 15-11) vs. Western Oregon,10/9/1990
250 - 2-1 (4-15, 15-12, 15-12) vs. Linfield, 9/26/1992
300 - 2-1 (8-15, 15-8, 16-14) vs. Pacific (Ore.) at Monmouth,Ore. (Western Oregon State Tournament), 10/7/1994
350 - 3-1 (10-15, 15-8, 15-9, 15-7) vs. Linfield, 11/2/1996
400 - 3-2 (15-3, 15-9, 3-15, 11-15, 15-13) vs. Puget Sound atMonmouth, Ore. (NAIA Pacific Northwest Sectional), 11/13/1998
450 - 3-0 (30-18, 30-17, 30-23) vs. Lewis & Clark,11/3/2001
500 - 3-1 (30-32,30-20,30-27,30-26) vs. Willamette,9/23/2005
550 - 3-1 (19-25,25-21,25-15,25-23) at Pacific (Ore.),10/3/2009
600 - 3-1 (25-23, 24-26, 25-19, 25-14) vs. Pacific (Ore.), 9/19/2014
