Feb. 13, 2002

As February draws near a close, so does the end of a great coaching career. Southeast Missouri State women's basketball coach Ed Arnzen will retire at the end of the 2001-02 season after 19 years at the helm of the Otahkians. His 19 years ranks fifth in school history for consecutive tenure with one sport and he has piled up numerous achievements over the years, including the 1998-99 Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year and a runner-up finish in the 1990-91 Division II basketball tournament. But if Arnzen would have followed his original career path, none of this would have ever taken place.

"I wanted to be a sports writer," Arnzen said. "I had always admired the work of Bob Burns who wrote for the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, which was a morning paper in St. Louis. But when I got to Southeast Missouri (as an undergrad), journalism was only available as a minor and I knew it was going to be tough to get into that field. So coaching was my second choice."

Although a career as a sports writer did not pan out for Arnzen, he made the most of his coaching opportunity. Before taking over the Southeast women's program, Arnzen served as assistant boy's coach at Century High School in Ullin, Ill, and as head coach at Notre Dame High School in Cape Girardeau. At Notre Dame, Arnzen led the Bulldogs to a 175-58 record and a third place finish at the 1976 Class 2A state tournament. His last stop before taking over the Otahkian program was as an assistant coach for the Southeast men's program for four seasons. Then came the opportunity to take over the women's program in 1983.

"I never intended to be a women's basketball coach," Arnzen laughed. "But I was offered the job and with two teenage daughters at home I thought the job offered more security and allowed me to get off the road and stay at home a little more."

But did he think he'd coach the Otahkians for 19 seasons? "I really didn't look down the road that far," Arnzen continued. "But at the same time I really didn't think about going back to men's basketball."

Arnzen experienced success immediately at Southeast, posting winning seasons in his first nine years as Otahkian head coach, including seven, 20-plus victory campaigns. But one year sticks out above the rest, the 1990-91 squad that finished 31-4 and reached the Division II National Championship game.

"That was a great season," Arnzen lamented. "We knew we had something special from the get-go. And entering the conference season we were without two players who were suspended for four games, and we finished that stretch with a 2-2 record we knew we were going to make a run. But more importantly, we had a lot of luck in the tournament and the administration at Southeast really stepped forward in making a push to have the school host the Regionals and the Final Four that season."

Southeast Missouri's on campus arena, the Show Me Center, would be the host of both the South Regional and the NCAA Final Four which gave Southeast a little bit of an extra advantage. "Us hosting the Regional and Final Four was a very important factor in our postseason success that year," Arnzen said.

"Everyone will think the Final Four games were the most important, but the biggest win for us was probably against West Texas State in the Regionals," Arnzen said. "They were the number one team in the country at the time and had us down 12 points with 10 minutes to go in the game. But we were able to come back and pull out the big victory."

Southeast pulled out the 71-70 victory over West Texas and defeated Cal Poly Ponoma 82-52 in the South Regional Championship to advance to the Final Four. Next up for Southeast was a date with Norfolk State, who was previously undefeated. "We prepared for their press against the men's team that week and were able to easily handle them," said Arnzen. Southeast won 85-52 to advance to the championship game against North Dakota State.

7,064 fans attended the National Championship game, the biggest crowd ever to see the Otahks at the Show Me Center. Although the Otahkians dream of a National Championship would slip away in the 81-74 loss, the season was definitely a success.

"I thought we prepared for that game as well as we possibly could," Arnzen said. "But our Achilles Heel was outside shooting (thanks to an injury to outside threat Anne Cate in Feburary) and North Dakota State did a great job of limiting our All-American center Jerri Wiley. We were still only down one-point with two minutes to play and the clock was running down when North Dakota threw up a desperation three-pointer, which went in and sealed the game. I still think if they missed that shot we probably win that ballgame. The next day some of the players came to me crying and upset but I told them we did everything we possibly could do to win that game and when you do that then there should be no remorse and you should be proud."

But it is not a game that Arnzen would replay over if he could. "I think we did everything we could in that game," Arnzen said. "Each season there are always a couple of games you wish you could play over because you were not prepared, such as the Tennessee State game this season. But if I could replay one game over it would be against Murray State in 1999. We were up one-point with five seconds remaining and all we had to do was inbound the ball to Paula Corder-King, who was leading the nation in free-throw shooting at the time, and we win the ballgame. But the ball got knocked out of bounds and we lost the game and the chance to win the Ohio Valley Conference Championship. That may have been the most disappointing game of my career."

Since then Arnzen has gone on to win his 300th career game and coach in his 500th career game at the collegiate level. In his swan song season, the 2001-02 Otahkians started the season with their best record since joining Division I basketball but have dropped a couple of conference games they should have won this season. But the season is still far from over.

"I would like to get to the Final Four of the OVC Tournament this year," Arnzen said. "It was disappointing losing two players over the Christmas Break but of the kids remaining, I really enjoy being around them. This has been a great year because I really like all the coaches I work with and of course the players. It is really a fun group to be around. And although we are coming off a tough road trip, I think our team is really coming together and we might have a good chance to make a postseason run."

But whether or not that run comes at the end of the OVC Tournament first round game or in the Championship game it will be difficult. "It's always a bitter ending because in college basketball you always lose your last game unless you win the National Championship," Arnzen said. "But if I think we prepare our players to the best of our ability and they work as hard as they can then I can accept whatever the outcome is of our last game."

Arnzen's departure from basketball reminds him of how a famous St. Louis Cardinals baseball player ended his career. "I remember what Willie McGee said when he was retiring. He said, 'I just want to go home.' And then someone would ask, 'Where's Willie?' And someone would respond, 'He just went home.' That is sort of what I would like people to say about me."

After spending 19 years in charge of a basketball program, Arnzen is looking forward to some free time. "I need a new battery for my golf cart," Arnzen laughed when responding to what he was going to do on his first day after retirement. "But I have a list of about two months worth of stuff to do around the house. Then I want to look for another job. I need a place to go everyday and I want to be involved. I just don't want to coach or teach anymore."

Arnzen also plans on spending time with his family, his two grown daughters and five grandchildren, who he has not gotten to see enough while being so involved in coaching. But will we see him again at the Show Me Center?

"I'm going to be a fan after this season," Arnzen replied. "I'll still support the Otahkians and the men's team and hopefully see some games at Notre Dame High. I've only been to two or three games there since I left that job over 20 years ago."

But this time around, Arnzen won't have to yell at the referees unless he wants to, although he admits his wife usually yells more from the stands than he does from the bench. And in retirement, the yelling will come from his cushy seat in the stands and not from a seat on the sidelines. He will also not have to worry about dealing with the media or fans questioning a call made during the game that may have changed the outcome. He will simply go home.

Arnzen will coach in his last home game on Monday, February 18 at 7:00 p.m. when Southeast battles the Eastern Illinois Panthers. There will be a special pre-game ceremony honoring Arnzen and his wife Joanne. Admission will be free to the public for Ed Arnzen Appreciation Night.