Ken Koelbl completed his 14th season as head men's basketball coach at UW-La Crosse in 2016-17. He has led the Eagles to nine overall winning seasons in the last 12 years. UWL has advanced to the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Tournament Semifinals six times (2006, 2007, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017), including three of the last four seasons.
Koelbl was named the 2015-16 WIAC Coach of the Year after leading UWL to its 12th regular-season conference title in school history and first since 1965. The Eagles finished 16-10 overall and 10-4 in the WIAC in 2015-16.
A total of 30 All-WIAC selections have been earned under Koelbl, including 15 first team choices. Joe Werner (2006-07), Tony Mane (2010-11) and Jared Staege (2015-16) have been named the WIAC Player of the Year under Koelbl.
Four players were selected to the 2015-16 All-WIAC Team, including Staege, Devin Yurk, Austin Fritz and Ben Meinholz. It marked the second time (1977-78) in school history four players earned all-conference honors in the same season.
Koelbl has compiled an overall record of 201-161 (.555) and 105-113 (.482) in the WIAC at UWL. He earned his 200th career win in the Eagles' 77-52 home victory over UW-Stout February 15, 2017. Koelbl picked up his 100th career victory with a 82-73 win over UW-Platteville December 11, 2010 and his 100th career conference win with a 55-53 victory over UW-Stevens Point February 20, 2016.
He ranks second in school history in victories (201). Burt McDonald is the all-time leader (263).
The Eagles are 123-87 (.586) overall and 67-57 (.540) in the WIAC the last eight seasons under Koelbl, winning at least 10 league games in three of the last five years.
UWL went 19-8 overall and 12-4 in the WIAC in 2006-07. The 12 conference wins were the most since 1982-83 (12-4) and the team recorded its second consecutive winning season for the first time since 1987-88 (18-10) and 1988-89 (15-12). UWL advanced to the 2007 WIAC Tournament Championship for the first time in school history, falling at top-ranked UW-Stevens Point.
Koelbl led the Eagles to a breakthrough year in 2005-06 as UWL finished 20-8 overall and 10-6 in the league. The 20 overall wins were the most since 1982-83 (20-7) while the 10 conference victories were the most since 2001-02 (10-6). The Eagles made their first ever appearance in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Tournament in 2006, falling 79-71 to Calvin College (Mich.) in Holland, Michigan.
He served as an assistant coach at UW-Stevens Point from 1995-2003. Koelbl also served as the Pointers’ recruiting coordinator and basketball camp administrator/instructor. He helped lead the Pointers to four straight WIAC championships, including the 2002-03 season when the team finished 24-4 overall. UW-Stevens Point advanced to the NCAA III Tournament “Elite Eight” in 1997 and 2000.
Koelbl, who earned his bachelor’s degree from Viterbo (Wis.) University (1990) and master’s degree from South Dakota State University (1994), was an assistant coach at Viterbo from 1990-92 before serving as a graduate assistant coach at South Dakota State from 1992-94. Following his position at South Dakota State, Koelbl served as head assistant coach at St. Mary’s (Minn.) University from 1994-95.
A 1996 inductee into the Viterbo University Athletic Hall of Fame, Koelbl was a NAIA Baseball and Basketball District 14 selection in 1990.
Along with serving as UWL's head basketball coach, Koelbl works as an admissions counselor.
A native of Onalaska, Wis., Koelbl and his wife, Ellen, have four children, Kyle (1997), Kelsey (1999), Kevin (2000) and Kole (2010).
