by Josh Goff
Sports Editor

Beware the Ides of March.

Exactly 2,048 years to the day after Caesar’s death, a big part of Sugar Bears basketball died when coach Ron Marvel announced his retirement Monday afternoon.

After 24 years as Sugar Bears’ coach, the winningest women’s college basketball coach in Arkansas history stepped away from the game just 11 wins shy of the magical 500 mark, finishing his outstanding career at UCA with a 489-207 record.

“The decision has been made for a long time,” Marvel said. “ I had planned to do it last year, but came back this year because my retirement took a big hit with all of the 9-11 stuff. Now I’m fighting to win 500 and coach 40 years.”

While reaching those two career milestones are important, Marvel, 60, is bowing out for a much more important reason.

“My family needs me,” he said. “It’s important that I get to see my grandkids grow up. Coaching basketball is stressful and takes years off your life, and I want those years to be with my family.”

Marvel’s three grandchildren; Macy, 13 and Riley, 9 (who live in Bryant) and Nate, 9 (Benton) all play basketball and Marvel wants to spend more time around them as their careers take off.

“That was the biggest factor,” he said. “All three of them play basketball, and now I can make it out to all their games.

“It’s been a tough decision. I knew I wanted to, the toughest thing was telling the team.”

Marvel did just that Monday at 2 p.m.,

“They took it well, but they shared a few tears with me.”

Marvel also had to break the news to Athletic Director Vance Strange.

“Vance and President Hardin were both extremely nice,” Marvel said. “They both asked if it would do them any good to try to talk me out of it.”

Marvel said his mind is made up and he wouldn’t be returning, even with the 500-win plateau on the horizon.

“I ran that through my mind,” he said. “I would liked to have gotten to 500 wins. Next year, when it gets to that point and the girls win their eleventh game, I’m sure I’ll sit and think ‘that would’ve been 500.’ I wanted to do it, but coming back probably would’ve taken another two to three years off my life.”

Marvel came to UCA in 1980 and took over a program that had suffered through three consecutive losing seasons. In just his third season, Marvel led the Sugar Bears to 26 wins. Over the next 21 seasons, Marvel would continue to ring up impressive win totals, including a high of 28 during last year’s run to the Elite 8. In 24 seasons at UCA, Marvel never had a losing season.

During Marvel’s time at UCA, 10 times he had players named All-American and 48 All-Conference selections. In winning 70 percent of his games as Sugar Bears coach, Marvel’s teams averaged a record of 20-8.

His last three teams have been above his lofty average, winning 24, 28 and 21 games, with each team making it to the South Regional of the NCAA Tournament.

In 2002 the Sugar Bears made the South Regional championship game; and in 2003 advanced a step further, going all the way to the national quarterfinals.

It was the closest any of Marvel’s teams ever got to a national championship.

“I had high hopes for this season,” he said. “If (point guard) Renita (Dobbins) hadn’t gone down, we would’ve been close again. We had a pretty good combination and would’ve had a legitimate chance at another run.”

The Sugar Bears’ run this season was halted last Friday in the South Regional when they fell 79-77 to Fort Valley State on a last-second shot. The Sugar Bears, led by Carone Harris’ 30 points, made a late comeback and tied the game with a Harris 3 with 18 seconds left.

FVSU won the game when Ashley Hutchcraft grabbed a rebound and was stripped by Amanda Ray. Ray’s shot found the mark as the horn sounded, ending the Sugar Bears’ season and Marvel’s career.

Losing his last two games, with the final being on a buzzer-beater, wasn’t exactly the way Marvel had hoped to finish his career.

“My vision was to walk off the court with the national championship trophy in my hands,” he said. “I would’ve retired the day after the game. That was my dream.”

That dream, and now Marvel’s career, is over.

(Sports Editor Kai Caddy contributed to this story.)