Jennies Basketball Camps
Head Coach Dave Slifer

Dave Slifer is the fifth-winningest active coach in NCAA Division II women's basketball with a 456-145 record (.759). The University of Central Missouri Jennies are the seventh winningest team in D-II history. Sounds like a match made in basketball heaven.

That match was in fact made when UCM Athletics Director Jerry Hughes announced Slifer as the sixth head coach in the 34-year history of Jennies basketball in the Spring of 2004.  Slifer served the previous nine seasons as head coach at MIAA-rival Missouri Western State College.

Last season, Slifer led the Jennies to their second straight 14-14 overall record and a 9-9 mark in the MIAA, it was the first
time that a Slifer-led team has missed the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back years.

In 2005-06, he led the Jennies to at least 20 wins for the second consecutive season for the first time since 1995-96 and 1996-97 and consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances for the first time since 1996-97 and 97-98. The NCAA berth marked the 10th straight season he has taken a team to the tournament.  

In his first season Slifer took the Jennies to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2000 and a 23-8 overall record. The Jens also finished third in the MIAA (13-5) and had a No. 25 final WBCA ranking. The tourney berth was his ninth consecutive trip.

As Missouri Western’s mentor, Slifer posted a record of      205-69.  After going 16-12 in his inaugural season with the Lady Griffons, he enjoyed eight consecutive seasons of 21 or more wins.  The winningest coach in Missouri Western women’s basketball history, he was named Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Coach of the Year three times and led Missouri Western to a pair of MIAA titles, two MIAA Tournament Championships, and eight consecutive NCAA Tournaments.  His Griffons also enjoyed a string of seven straight years in the MIAA Tournament Championship game.

Prior to his stint at Missouri Western, Slifer served six seasons at Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  He won at least 28 games all six seasons, and led the Mustangs to six straight National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Tournaments, including the Final Four in 1993-94 and 1994-95.  Overall Slifer produced a record of 178-30 (.856) at Mount Mercy.

Slifer received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Mount Mercy in 1982, and a master’s degree in business administration from Eastern Illinois University in 1985.

He and his wife, Tammy, who also serves as a volunteer assistant coach with the Jennies, have three children: daughters Brittney and Maggie, and son D.J.