Romeoville, Ill. – After a decorated coaching career spanning over 40 years, head coach Scott Trost has announced his plan to retire as head coach of the Lewis University men's basketball team effective September 5th.
"Scott Trost has made a remarkable impact on Lewis University and our men's basketball program over his 19 seasons as head coach" said Assistant Vice President For Athletics
John Ashaolu. "As the all-time winningest men's basketball coach in Lewis history, his leadership, integrity, and passion for the game have shaped not only the success of our teams but also the lives of countless student-athletes. Scott's legacy will be felt for years to come, and we are truly grateful for his dedication and service to our Lewis family."
The all-time winningest head coach in program history, Trost owns a 485-306 (.613) overall record as a head coach over 25-plus seasons on the sideline as a head coach. His Lewis teams have had individual success, as Trost has mentored over 25 All-GLVC performers, nine all-region players, seven GLVC All-Defensive Team selections, eight GLVC All-Tournament honorees, four GLVC Freshmen of the Year, three All-Americans and two GLVC Tournament Most Valuable Players. He was named the GLVC and NABC Midwest Region Coach of the Year in 2018-19 after leading the Flyers to their first GLVC Regular Season championship since 2003-04 and a final number one ranking in the NCAA Midwest Region. He has also been named the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association NCAA Division II Coach of the Year six times (2008, '12, '15, '16,'19, '21).
Trost began his coaching career at Illinois Wesleyan as a graduate assistant during the 1986-87 season. He was an assistant coach at NCAA Division II Minnesota State-Mankato the next two seasons before joining the Elmhurst staff in 1989 under Jim Whitesell.
Trost would serve as an assistant coach for three seasons with the Bluejays. In Trost's final season as assistant coach, Elmhurst won a program record 19 games and advanced to the second round in their first NCAA Division III Championship Tournament appearance.
After Whiesell left, Trost took over the program ahead of the 1992-93 season and in four years, led the Blue jays to 51 total wins, highlighted by a 16 win campaign during the 1995-96 season.
The following year, Trost left the Bluejays and joined Big Ten powerhouse Michigan as an assistant coach. The Wolverines won the 1997 National Invitation Tournament with an 83-72 win over Florida State and the 1998 squad captured the inaugural Big Ten Tournament crown and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Championship tournament with Trost on the sideline.
Prior to arriving at Lewis, Trost enjoyed a highly successful tenure at Illinois Wesleyan, posting a 101-37 (.732) overall record and a 50-20 (.714) mark in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) during his five seasons as the helm. The Titans captured three consecutive CCIW titles from 2003 through 2005, while also getting named coach of the year all three years as well. Under his leadership, Illinois Wesleyan made four successive NCAA Division III Championship tournament appearances as well. His 2005-06 Titans went 25-7 and finished third in the nation, beating Amherst 71-68 in the NCAA Tournament consolation game to finish third nationally.
Trost joined the Flyers at the start of the 2006-07 season and led them to a .500 or better record for the first 13 years of his career. During the 2007-08, Trost led the Flyers to 20 wins, the first time since 2003-04 that the red and white accomplished the feat, and an appearance in the GLVC Championship game where they eventually fell to No. 18 Drury at the buzzer.
The Flyers continued to see sustained success under Trost and in 2015-16 had one of their best seasons in program history as his squad won 24 games and captured their first GLVC Tournament Championship under Trost and first as a program since 2002 with an 80-71 victory over UW-Parkside. Individually, Max Strus was named an All-American while Trost garnered IBCA Coach of the Year honors.
The longtime leader of the Flyers made history for the Flyers as on Feb. 17, 2018, Trost led Lewis to a 64-44 win over Missouri S&T to become the all-time winningest head coach in program history with 221 wins.
Trost outdid himself three years later as the 2018-19 squad tied the program record for wins with 25 and hosted the NCAA Midwest Regional. Trost garnered NABC Coach of the Year honors for the Midwest Region while Kendale McCullum collected All-American honors.
Since 2020, Trost has led the Flyers to 73 total wins, highlighted by an 18 win 2023-24 campaign, helped Connor Niego land all-region honors and captured the 2020-21 GLVC Tournament Championship.
Ahead of this season, longtime associate head coach Nick Rocco will take over as active head coach. The athletic department will be honoring Trost with a retirement party starting at 12 p.m. on Sept. 3 in the Seiler Room on the second floor of Neil A. Carey Arena.