Marilyn Rule
Head Coach
The only head coach in Nova Southeastern women's basketball history, Marilyn Rule enters her 12th season with the Sharks in the 2009-10 season. Coaching the Sharks since the inaugral 1998-99 season and compiling a 157-147 all-time record, Rule has guided NSU into one of the elite women's basketball programs in the NCAA Division II South Region. During the 2008-09 season, Rule guided the NSU to a 14-15 overall record. The Sharks were 9-7 mark in the Sunshine State Conference and tied for third in the SSC standings. For the second-consecutive season, Stephanie Sarosi was named SSC Player of the Year, becoming the fourth player in SSC history to be tabbed the conference's top player two years in a row. Sarosi was also selected to the Daktronics All-America Second-Team, the Division II Bulletin All-America Third-Team and was one 41 finalists for the State Farm Coaches' All-America Baksetball Team as presented by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association. Sarosi, who was a national player of the month in January, also became the first player in program history to record a triple-double with 32 points, 15 rebounds and 10 blocks at Florida Tech on Jan. 21, 2009.
Rule's Sharks were a Cinderella story in 2007-08, becoming the third-most improved team in NCAA Division II from the previous season. NSU compiled a program-best 24-7 record en route to claiming SSC Regular Season and Tournament titles and receiving an NCAA Tournament bid, all of which were program firsts. As a result of all the success, Rule was named WBCA South Region Coach of the Year and SSC Coach of the Year. The team's success stemmed from the strongest recruiting class in program history that featured sophomore transfer and SSC Player of the Year Stephanie Sarosi and SSC All-Freshman selection Abbie Tepe.
The 2006-07 season was a rebuilding year for the Sharks. Senior Jennifer Havens was named to the All-SSC Second-Team as NSU finished with a 7-9 conference record, good for sixth place.
In 2005-06, NSU looked to improve upon the success it 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, including Missy Guadagnino sinking 22 consecutive free throws in one game.
Named the 2004-05 SSC Coach of the Year, Rule turned a preseason rank of eighth in the conference to a second-place tie at the conclusion of the season. In its first year as full members of the SSC, Rule guided the Sharks to a 17-12 overall record and a .556 winning percentage, which was the team's highest winning percentage since Rule's first season.
In NSU's four NAIA seasons, the team claimed three regular season Florida Sun Conference Championships and made an NAIA National Championship appearance in 2001-02. Rule garnered FSC Coach-of-the-Year honors three times in her first four years.
Prior to coming to NSU, Rule spent six years coaching as the head varsity girls' basketball coach at Coral Springs High School during which the two-time Coach of the Year turned the Lady Colts into one of the top teams in Broward County. She also served as an assistant athletic trainer for Coral Springs and coached the boys' volleyball team and the 1995 State Champion boys' golf team.
While coaching at the high school level, she spent the off-seasons coaching several AAU teams, taking two teams to AAU National Tournaments and one to the YBAO Nationals. She has also worked the prestigious WBCA invitational summer camps.
Rule, who played at both Florida Southern and Florida Atlantic, was a two-time All-State and a four-time All-Broward County selection while at J.P. Taravella High School.
A 1993 graduate of Florida Atlantic, Rule received her bachelor's degree in Social Science with a minor in Secondary Education. She earned her master's degree in education with a specialization in sports management from NSU.
She and husband Jeff Heinrich reside in Coral Springs with their two sons Kevin, 9, and Colton, 4.
