Shawn Reed’s vision comes into focus at Tabor

Shawn Reed is building something with the Tabor women’s basketball program.

And if you’re just realizing this now, and you’re the competition, it’s probably too late.

“We have a plan, definitely,” said Reed, Tabor’s fifth-year coach. “We have a way we want to do things and we have a way we want to go about building our program.”

That way was probably most adequately explained by junior forward Tena Loewen, a Hillsboro native and second team all-KCAC pick last season.

“The way (Reed) thinks isn’t about necessarily who can help the team right away, or who looks like they’re the best prospect in high school,” Loewen said. “He thinks about what a player is going to be one or two years from now, about how he can develop them as part of the team.”

That development has Reed and Tabor picking up right where they left off last season after winning the KCAC regular-season title and going 21-13 in his fourth season. Tabor is picked to repeat as KCAC champion in both the coaches and media preseason polls and ranked No. 9 in the NAIA Division II preseason Top 25.

“You try to the best you can in recruiting not just the right type of players, but the right type of people to represent the program and the school,” Reed said. “Tabor is a special place, a unique place, and you want people who understand that coming in.”

Reed spent nine seasons as an assistant to legendary women’s coach Lonnie Kruse at Sterling. Nine seasons of unprecedented success that included six trips to the NAIA Tournament, three Sweet Sixteens, two Elite Eights and one Final Four.

Reed started slowly at Tabor. The Bluejays went 7-21 in 2011-12, his first season, and finished next-to-last in the KCAC. Then Tabor started to pick up steam — 20-10 in 2012-13, then 21-11 in 2013-14 before last year’s breakthrough, which was the best season in schol history. It was also the second trip to the national tournament with Reed, who was named the KCAC Coach of the Year.

The Bluejays also picked up their first two national tournament wins, beating Marian and Southern Oregon.

“Patience was key, trusting the system was key,” Reed said. “You put your faith in that you’re doing things the right way.”

Some deft recruiting moves have also helped. Reed is starting to churn out All-Americans on a regular basis. The Bluejays have a streak of three straight seasons with All-Americans: Janelle Rust (third team) and Nikki Lewis (honorable mention) in 2012-13, Lewis (third team) in 2013-14 and Tonish Dean (third team) last season.

“It’s great to see that individual recognition, because that reflects what we’re doing as a team,” Reed said.

Reed could have his next All-American with Loewen, who also plays volleyball for Tabor and won two Class 3A volleyball titles at Hillsboro. She’s one of four returning starters from last year’s team.

“I tore my ACL my senior year and that closed some doors for me, recruiting-wise,” said Loewen, who averaged 7.7 points and 7 rebounds last season. “And it ended up being a blessing, because I ended up in the right place. I think I’m right where I needed to be.

“I grew up in Hillsboro, so I was always around the Tabor community, but when I decided to go here I made a point of trying to be like all the other freshmen that were away from home and didn’t go back to my house until they all could.”

It underscores the relationship between Hillsboro, with a population just shy of 3,000, and the college, which has an enrollment just shy of 800.

“That’s hard for some people to understand,” Reed said. “But the college and the town are really one with each other. We want to bring in players who embrace that.”

This story was originally published November 7, 2015 at 7:07 AM with the headline "Shawn Reed’s vision comes into focus at Tabor."