Robin Selvig reaches 700-win mark

USPS honors Selvig with postmark, envelope by: Chelsi Moy of The Missoulian Lady Griz basketball coach Robin Selvig is now among an elite group whose selection is not based solely on wins and losses. Selvig joins the ranks of people like the late U.S. Sen. Mike Mansfield of Montana and Linda Barnard, Missoula's first female postmaster, in having his own limited edition postmark and souvenir cachet envelope. In Selvig's case, the recognition honors his 700th victory as coach of the University of Montana's women's basketball team, itself a rarity in collegiate sports. And now comes the pictorial postmark and commemorative envelope. “They just don't hand them out,” said Margie Snook, the Postal Service's supervisor of customer service, who had to apply two months ago to folks in Washington, D.C., for approval. “There's some special thought put ... more

University of Montana women’s basketball coach Robin Selvig won his 700th career game Wednesday when the Lady Griz defeated Illinois, 59-57 in overtime, on the opening day of the Caribbean Challenge in Cancun, Mexico. In his 31st season at his alma mater, Selvig has compiled a record of 700-199.

By winning his 700th game in 899 games coached, Selvig matches former Texas coach Jody Conradt as the fifth fastest coach in NCAA men’s or women’s basketball history to reach 700 victories.

Legendary Kentucky coach Adolph Rupp tops the list, reaching 700 wins in his 836th game. Tennessee coach Pat Summitt hit 700 in her 847th game, former UNLV coach Jerry Tarkanian in his 876th game and Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer in her 885th game.

Former North Carolina coach Dean Smith is next on the list, reaching 700 wins in his 904th game.

Selvig ranks behind Summitt (987), Vivian Stringer of Rutgers (806), Sylvia Hatchell of North Carolina (790), Kay Yow of North Carolina State (733), VanDerveer (727) and Andy Landers of Georgia (710) on the list of winningest active Division I coaches in games won.

Add in Conradt (900) and former LSU coach Sue Gunter (708) and Selvig ranks ninth all-time.

Of those nine coaches, only Summitt, Landers and Selvig have won all their games at the same school. Of those three, only Selvig was a student-athlete at the school for which he now coaches.

“Robin has been a master at getting the best out of his teams for the past 30 years,” Summitt said recently. “His incredible total number of victories and winning percentage speak volumes to his consistency in the game.

“I admire the job he has done both on the conference and NCAA levels year in and year out. Robin has built a great program at Montana with outstanding fan support.

“Very few coaches stay in the game for three decades, much less at one school. Since we share that in common, I can tell you that he absolutely loves going to work each day.”