One of the outstanding women's basketball coaches at any level, Bob Schneider spent 25 of his 43-year coaching career on the sidelines as head coach of the Lady Buffs.
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His coaching career began in tiny Darrouzett in 1958 and he concluded his run almost half-a-century later. In 43 years of coaching at the high school and collegiate levels, Schneider posted an almost hard-to-believe record of 1,045-293.
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Under Schneider, the Lady Buffs became a perennial NCAA front-runner and he laid the foundation at Canyon High School for the powerhouse that is the Lady Eagles basketball team. During his 12 years at Canyon High, his teams made 10 consecutive state tournament appearances, winning the State crown five times and finishing as runners-up five times.
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He then coached at Texas Women's before coming to West Texas State prior to the 1981-82 season. Over the next 25 years, Schneider's Lady Buff teams won nine conference titles, including eight Lone Star Conference banners. His teams reached the NCAA Division II Elite Eight twice, advancing to the NCAA Quarterfinals in 1997 and were national runners-up in 1988.
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Today, he still ranks among the top coaches in NCAA women's basketball history across all divisions, standing 26th in total victories, 38th in winning percentage and he stands fifth among all Division II coaches with 19 – 20-win seasons.
