Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) women's basketball coach Steve Krafcisin achieved a milestone January 12 when the Bears defeated Iowa Lakes Community College (ILCC), 76-62, in an Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) matchup inside the DMACC gymnasium.
The victory was the 300th of Krafcisin's DMACC coaching career. He is the longest tenured and winningest women's basketball coach in DMACC history with a career record of 300-129.
Krafcisin said he was more pleased with the family atmosphere the program has built that with winning 300 games.
"It's very humbling," Krafcisin said. "You don't realize that you are in it for that long and that you have had success for that long.
"I've had about 10 or 12 emails and texts from former players and former assistants who said they were glad they were a part of all of it and I think that says it all for me. It's great to win and I love to win, but the culture we have built since I got here has been tremendous. That's what I want. Not so much the wins, but the people who feel ownership in the team and the program. That is way cool."
Krafcisin is midway through his 14th season at DMACC. He has coached four All-Americans, London Vais (2015-16), Jocelyn (Anderson) Kovarik (2005-06 and 2006-07), Carlee Schumacher (2012-13 and 2013-14) and Katlyn Wood (2010-11). Kovarik is currently an assistant women's basketball coach for DMACC.
Six of Krafcisin's DMACC teams have achieved the highest grade point average in Iowa among all women's basketball community college programs. The 2016-17 team achieved a 3.54 GPA and earned the No. 1 national ranking for all National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II programs by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA).
Fifty-one of Krafcisin's DMACC players have been named to all-region teams and 89 players have earned all-region academic honors. Ten of his teams have achieved 20 wins in a season.
Krafcisin began his coaching career as an assistant at Loras College in Dubuque from 1984-87. He then became an assistant coach on Johnny Orr's Staff at Iowa State from 1987-1994. From 1994-96 Krafcisin served as an assistant at the University of North Dakota and in 1996 he returned to Iowa State for one season, serving on Tim Floyd's staff. Before coming to DMACC Krafcisin coached the North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC) men's basketball team for seven seasons.
Krafcisin, a native of Chicago, Ill., played high school basketball at St. Laurence High School where he earned All-American honors. He played one season at the University of North Carolina before transferring to the University of Iowa where he played center for three seasons. Krafcisin helped the Tar Heels to the ACC regular season and tournament championships and a berth in the NCAA Final Four in 1977 and in 1980 helped Iowa to the semifinals of the NCAA Final Four. He holds the unique distinction as the only player in NCAA history to play and score in two Final Fours for two different teams.
Krafcisin has been inducted into the St. Laurence High School Hall of Fame, the Chicago Catholic League Hall of Fame and the Illinois High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame.
Following collegiate play, Krafcisin was drafted in the sixth round of the NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks. He played briefly in Italy and in the Continental Basketball League before beginning his coaching career.
Krafcisin holds a bachelor's degree in recreation from the University of Iowa. He is married to Joanne Gawley and they are the parents of three children, Jacob, Gabe and Grace.