Cheri Harrer

Cheri Harrer is entering her 35th season as head women's basketball coach at Baldwin Wallace University in 2024-25, where she also serves as an associate professor in the Division of Health and Physical Education and as the Senior Woman Administrator. With a career record of 717-248 (.743), she is the winningest women's basketball coach in school history, the winningest coach in OAC basketball history, sixth among active Division III coaches, and 49th all-time among NCAA coaches at any level.

Coach Harrer has built a program that excels both on the court and in the classroom. Her teams have won 12 Ohio Athletic Conference Regular Season Championships and nine OAC Tournament titles. Under her leadership, Baldwin Wallace has made 19 NCAA Division III National Tournament appearances, including eight Sweet 16 and four Elite 8 appearances. The 2024-25 team clinched the OAC regular season title with an 18-0 conference record and reached the NCAA Elite 8.

Harrer's program stands out for its academic excellence, with her 2024-25 team boasting a 3.8 GPA and half the players achieving 4.0 GPAs. She prioritizes retention, keeping all players who try out if they work hard, and emphasizes team chemistry over individual stats. Her teams play unselfish, defense-driven basketball with 11 players averaging at least nine minutes per game.

• OAC Coach of the Year (1997-98, 1999-00, 2005-06, 2008-09, 2019-20, 2021-22, 2024-25)
• Inducted into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame (2017)
• Inducted into the Crawford County Hall of Fame (2014)
• 700 career wins achieved in January 2025

Coach Harrer teaches coaching classes five days a week and has adapted her coaching style over the years to be more positive and communicative. She holds 15-minute monthly meetings with each player and uses approaches like Gary Chapman's Five Love Languages to better connect with her athletes. Her philosophy centers on developing well-rounded student-athletes who excel both academically and athletically while serving their community through annual fundraising projects.

Harrer lives right next to campus, works at least 70 hours a week during the season, and has poured herself into her players and program for over three decades. Despite opportunities to coach at higher levels, she remains committed to Baldwin Wallace, where she feels she can best serve her players and live out her calling to invest in the lives of young women beyond just basketball.