CORVALLIS – The loss of eight Oregon State women’s basketball players to the transfer portal from an Elite Eight roster wasn’t the only thing troubling Beaver fans in April.
There was also this: would coach Scott Rueck follow those players out the door?
The trepidation over Rueck considering a move was relevant with Oregon State heading to the West Coast Conference next season following the Pac-12′s collapse.
Rueck, the winningest coach in OSU women’s basketball history, said he never considered making his 14th year in Corvallis his last.
Rueck, an Oregon State graduate, landed the Beavers job in 2010 following a 14-year run at George Fox.
“I love it here. I don’t want to leave here,” Rueck said Thursday. “It’d be foolish to never say never because I would have told you that George Fox, I was never looking leave there.
“I love it here. We love it here. And I love my job.”
Rueck is coming off his 14th year at OSU, where he took the Beavers to their third Elite Eight of his tenure. Rueck is 297-154 as Beavers coach, and combined with George Fox, has won 585 college games. Rueck has a contract that runs through 2031. Next season Rueck will earn $978,500, plus a $150,000 contract fulfillment bonus to be paid after June 2024.
Rueck’s current challenge is rebuilding a roster that currently includes six players. Six of the eight players who left the program for the transfer portal have found new schools. It doesn’t leave Rueck time to dwell on circumstances, or taking the situation personally.
“I’m a veteran. I learned a long time ago not to take it personally. When it starts to feel that way, I check myself,” Rueck said. “I didn’t make the conference decision. I didn’t change all of our worlds. I was not involved in that. I just work hard every day and do my best. What happens, happens.
“Are there things I could have done better? I’m always doing that. But I work hard and I believe I treat people right. Because of that, all I can do is my best and I feel like I’ve done that.”
More coming on Rueck’s thoughts about what’s happened with OSU women’s basketball
Nick Daschel covers Oregon State athletics, in particular football and basketball, and can be reached at 360-607-4824, [email protected] or @nickdaschel.
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