Photo Courtesy of Hillcrest Academy Yearbook

Hillcrest Academy head boys basketball coach Dwight Gingerich continues to make history.

Following the 2023-24 season, Gingerich is now tied for the fifth most wins in Iowa high school boys basketball history. In 41 seasons on the sidelines in Kalona, Gingerich has compiled a record of 738-235. That ties him with Cascade Hall of Fame Coach Al Marshall for fifth on the all-time wins list. He has the second most wins of any active coach, trailing only Mitch Osborn of Harlan with 761. Retired coaches ahead of Gingerich include Dan Beck with 752, Fred Parsons with 784 and all-time leader Bob Hilmer with 917. Gingerich has the most wins in state history for a coach who has spent all of his tenure at one school.

Of the six coaches in the 700-win club, Gingerich has gotten there in the second fewest seasons, and second fewest total games. He holds a 75.8% winning percentage, second highest of the members of the 700 club.

His teams have averaged 18 wins per season. Only four times have his teams finished under .500, none since 1996, a string of 28 consecutive winning records. His squads have won at least 15 games in a season 30 times, and at least 20 games 20 times. Gingerich has led the Ravens to 12 state tournaments, finishing runner-up in Des Moines four times and winning the 1992 Class 1A State Championship. In 2015, he was honored by the IAHSAA for his 600th win during the boys State Tournament. Gingerich is a 1976 Iowa Mennonite School alum.

Earlier this month, in a ceremony on Championship Friday, during the Boys State Basketball Tournament at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Gingerich was inducted into the Iowa High School Athletic Association Basketball Hall of Fame.