Head Coach Ray Shovlain

Coach Ray Shovlain has always challenged the student-athletes in all programs to “Bee” leaders. A St. Ambrose University leader defines winning as an every day effort to improve themselves, others around them, and the communities in which they are involved. Over the past two decades, Coach Shovlain and his staff have strived to instill that leadership in the student athletes that participate in men’s basketball.

The Fighting Bees have experienced tremendous success over the past 25 years. This success starts with the quality, readiness, performance and community involvement that the men’s basketball program has been able to achieve.
Given that foundation, success on the basketball court has followed. Shovlain has achieved 478 victories and 14 20-win seasons over his stellar career. The basketball program has earned nine NAIA National Tournament appearances and four Sweet 16 finishes under Shovlain, including the school’s first and only trip to the Final Four in 2004, when the team set a school record for most victories in a single season (32).

This has been accomplished against an extremely competitive and challenging schedule that has included many contests against NCAA Division I and II competitors. The program has elected to schedule the best opponents possible. This year’s schedule is no different. Past seasons have included games against many NCAA Division I opponents, including California State at Los Angeles, Creighton, Indiana State, Loyola Marymount, St. Louis University, the University of San Diego, Western Illinois, DePaul, Bradley and Notre Dame. The 2008-09 campaign is more of the same, featuring four quality tournaments and a tough non-conference schedule.

Well regarded by his peers, Shovlain has spoke at a number of summer basketball camps at DePaul, Drake, Colorado State, Illinois State, Louisville and Notre Dame. After the 1988-89 season, Shovlain was the recipient of the Paul Maaske Memorial Award, an award given annually by the Iowa Basketball Coaches Association to the leading small college coach in the state.

Shovlain has also gained nationwide recognition as the activity director of the National Youth Sports Program (NYSP) at St. Ambrose. The NYSP is a summer youth program aimed to help economically disadvantaged children ages 10–16 in the Quad City area. The St. Ambrose University NYSP program was selected for the Silvio O. Conte Award in 1996, recognizing them as the top NYSP program in the country.

A graduate of Clinton’s St. Mary’s High School, Shovlain led his team to the 1975 Iowa State Championship while earning All-State honors. As a four-year letterman at St. Ambrose, Shovlain still holds the single game, season and career assist records and was inducted into the SAU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993. He went on to earn his master’s in business administration at St. Ambrose in 1982.

In addition to coaching and leading the Athletics Department, Shovlain’s position at St. Ambrose allows him to fulfill one of his other passions, which is teaching in the College of Business. Shovlain was selected Professor of the Year in 1989 and 1993. Shovlain and his wife, Betsy, currently reside in Davenport. They are blessed with a 15-year-old daughter, Katelyn Rae, and 12-year-old son, Sean Michael.  

Assistant Coach Kyle Murray

Kyle Murray is in his third year as an assistant on the St. Ambrose coaching staff. Murray comes to St. Ambrose from Drake University after earning a Bachelor of Art’s degree in English. While at Drake, Kyle was a wide receiver for the Drake football team.

Kyle is originally from Muscatine, Iowa, and graduated from Muscatine High School in 2002. A finalist for the 2002 Quad City Sports Athlete of the Year, Kyle earned 13 varsity letters as a 4-sport athlete. He was a 1st-Team All-State selection in football and soccer while earning Honorable Mention recognition in baseball and basketball. Kyle is currently the graduate assistant for sports information at St. Ambrose University and is pursuing a master’s degree in Business Administration.

Assistant Coach John Doyle

John Doyle is in his seventh year as an assistant on the St. Ambrose coaching staff. Overall, this is his ninth year that he has been a coach. John is originally from Davenport, Iowa, and is a graduate of Davenport Assumption, where he lettered in both football and basketball. John then went on to attend St. Ambrose, where he majored in Business Administration. Since graduating from St. Ambrose, John has taken a few graduate level courses at Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois. He is currently the owner of The Hat in Bettendorf.

Assistant Coach Jason McKinney

Jason McKinney is entering his second season as an assistant on the St. Ambrose coaching staff. McKinney comes to St. Ambrose from Iowa State University after earning a bachelor’s degree in Health and Human Performance with an emphasis in Sport Management.

Jason is originally from Calamus, Iowa and graduated from Calamus-Wheatland High School in 1998. McKinney also was the Head Varsity Boy’s coach for the Warriors from 2005 to 2007. While there, he led the Warriors to their first playoff victory in five years. Jason is currently seeking a Bachelor’s of Education at St. Ambrose.