The first-ever women's basketball coach at Nova Southeastern University, Marilyn Rule returns for her eleventh season as head coach of the NSU women's basketball team for the 2008-09 season. Seemingly overnight, Rule, a two-time SSC Coach of the Year, has transformed NSU into one of the elite women's basketball programs in the NCAA Division II South Region. Coaching the Sharks since 1998, Rule has transitioned the program into the NCAA after four highly successful seasons as part of the NAIA, which included three regular season Florida Sun Conference Championships to go along with an NAIA National Championship appearance in 2001-02. Adding to her accolades are three Florida Sun Conference Coach of the Year awards for the inaugural season (1998-99), and the 2000-01 and 2001-02 seasons.
Rule's Sharks were a Cinderella story in 2007-08, becoming the third-most improved team in NCAA Division II from the previous season, compiling a program-best 24-7 record en route to SSC Regular Season and Tournament titles and an NCAA Tournament Bid, all of which were program firsts.
Named WBCA South Region Coach of the Year following the 07-08 campaign, the team's success stemmed from the strongest recruiting class in program history, featuring super soph transfer and SSC Player of the Year Stephanie Sarosi as well as SSC All-Freshman selection Abbie Tepe. In addition, NSU tallied program bests with a 14-3 record away from the University Center as well as a nine-game winning streak on the way to a 14-2 SSC record, also a program best.
2006-07 was a rebuilding year for the Sharks. Senior forward Jennifer Havens was named to the All-Sunshine State Conference Second Team as NSU finished with a 7-9 conference record, good for sixth place.
In 2005-06, the Sharks looked to improve upon the success they enjoyed in previous season but injuries hampered NSU's efforts.
Still, the Sharks finished a respectable third in the SSC and got great individual performances, such as the NCAA record-setting free throw clinic put on by senior guard Missy Guadagnino who sank 22 consecutive free throws in one game.
Named the 2004-05 SSC Coach of the Year, Rule turned a pre-season rank of 8th in the conference to a 2nd-place tie at the conclusion of the season. In its first year as full members of the SSC, the Lady Sharks set out to establish its program among the top teams in the conference.
Prior to coming to Nova Southeastern University, Rule spent six years coaching at the high school level as the Head Varsity Girls Basketball Coach at Coral Springs High School during which Rule turned the Lady Colts into one of the top teams in Broward County. Rule received Coach-of-the-Year honors twice for Coral Springs High School for her efforts. In addition to coaching the girl's basketball program, she also served as an assistant athletic trainer, and coached the Boys' Volleyball team and Boys' Golf team which won the 1995 State Championship.
While coaching at the high school level, she spent the off-seasons coaching several AAU teams. Along with her husband Jeff, Rule took two teams to AAU National Tournaments and one to the YBAO Nationals. She also enjoyed running and working numerous basketball camps throughout the nation including two summers working the prestigious WBCA invitational summer camps.
Rule enjoyed a successful collegiate playing career, first at Florida Southern College and then at Florida Atlantic University.
A native of Detroit, Mich., she has been a long-time resident of Coral Springs. She played for J.P. Taravella High School where she was a four-time All-Broward County player and two-time All-State selection. She helped to lead the Trojans to the school's first ever appearance in the State Tournament where the team finished 27-1 during her senior year.
A 1993 graduate of Florida Atlantic University, Rule received her bachelor's degree in Social Science with a minor in Secondary Education and has received her master's degree in education with a specialization in sports management from NSU.
She and husband Jeff reside in Coral Springs with their two sons Kevin, 8, and Colton, 3.
