Scott Rueck | Oregon State Women's Basketball Coach | "Faces change, but our mission stays the same."

Scott Rueck is known as much for his servant leadership as he is for the banners and awards he's helped produce as a basketball coach.He first made his mark at George Fox University, where across 14 seasons he compiled a 288–88 record and captured the 2009 Division III National Championship with a perfect 32–0 season. He was named Division III National Coach of the Year that same year.In 2010, Rueck returned to Oregon State (his alma mater) to take over a program so depleted it needed open tryouts to fill a roster. In just six years, he turned the Beavers into a national power. Since then, he’s guided Oregon State to three Pac-12 Championships, five Sweet Sixteens, three Elite Eights, and the program’s first-ever Final Four. Along the way, he’s been honored five times as Pac-12 Coach of the Year, recognized as a multiple-time Naismith Coach of the Year finalist, and in 2024 was named ESPN’s National Coach of the Year Runner-Up after leading a team picked 10th in the preseason poll all the way to the Elite Eight.Here's some notable highlights from our conversation:[6:32] — Growing Up With Servant Leaders[10:20] — Servant Leadership & The Arrival Fallacy[13:13] — Evolving as a Coach[18:24] — Balancing Patience and Urgency[24:43] — Competing with Emotion vs. Emotionally[28:14] — Learning Who I Am[32:56] — Releasing Control & Letting Go[41:37] — Coaching From A Space of Love[47:25] — Love Creates Room for Courage[52:53] — Faces Change, Mission Stays the Same[57:20] — Staying Curious & Open to Learning[1:09:35] — Showing Gratitude for Your People[1:11:48] — I Will Never Sacrifice My FamilyMore Resources from Zach:For more practical tools and mindset stories, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here: https://winningwithwords.beehiiv.com/If you’re a coach or leader striving for more clarity, consistency, and fulfillment, feel free to reach out anytime to see how I can best serve you: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-brandon-40169573/