James “Jim” Kessler

The head men’s basketball coach at Grace for 42 years, winning 788 games, making him the 28^th winningest men’s college basketball coach in America…  his teams had eighteen 20-win seasons, three 30-win seasons, won 10 conference championships, made nine NAIA National Tournament appearances, won the 1992 NAIA Division II National Championship and four times finished as NCCAA National runners-up…  was named 1983 and 1992 National Coach of the Year and received numerous Conference Coach of the Year honors…  an inductee of the NAIA Hall of Fame, NCCAA Hall of Fame and an inaugural inductee in the Grace College Athletic Hall of Fame…  served as a court coach for USA Basketball, hosted a coaches clinic at the NCAA Final Four, led Grace on international missions trips to at least eight countries and directed over 20,000 campers at the annual Lancer Basketball Camp.