WHEELING – D.P. Harris has been a winner on the hardwood all his life.

That success continued Saturday for the Wheeling Park grad.

Harris is head coach at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa. – the home of Arnold Palmer and Rolling Rock beer. It is also home now to the four-time Presidents’ Athletic Conference Tournament men’s hoop champs.

Harris guided his Bearcats to a 65-62 over Thomas More in Saturday’s title tilt. In addition to the PAC title, the win propels St. Vincent – now 22-6 – into the NCAA Division III Tournament for the fourth successive season.

The former Wheeling Park standout for Coach Sam Andy played collegiately at Ohio University Eastern and St. Vincent before entering into the coaching ranks. He cut his teeth in that profession at Wheeling Park, before assisting at OUE for a season. That proved a springboard to return to St. Vincent, serving as assistant for six years.

Harris, age 45, was elevated to the head post 13 years ago. It has been a great run at the helm for the former Patriot. He has recorded a sparkling 237-97 mark, including back-to-back NAIA National Tournament Sweet 16 appearances to go with his four NCAA tourney berths.

His time at St. Vincent has been so successful that he was inducted into the Saint Vincent Athletic Hall of Fame in October of 2014.

“I wake up each day at 4:30 a.m., and believe that you have to get the most out of your players. I have been blessed to work at a school that believes in me and that has been all the difference,” Harris said. “Academics are paramount and because of my roots being from Wheeling it’s all about hard work. Wheeling has shaped my coaching philosophy,” he continued. “Sam Andy had a huge impact on how I looked at the game. I played for him and coached two years with him. Also, I have always tried to be a Skip Prosser-style coach.”

His Bearcat teams have punched their tickets into 11 national post-season tournaments. Some 23 of his former players went on to play professionally, one making it into the NBA.

“St. Vincent has been great to me,” the 1989 Wheeling Park graduate said. “I have been fortunate to be surrounded by a lot of special people here.”

Harris is also very active in the community. He has served with the Institutional Advancement Office for nearly a decade, assisting the college’s fundraising efforts. He has also been a member and strong supporter of the Latrobe Rotary Club. Harris was awarded the Paul Harris Fellowship Award in 2008.

D.P. and his wife, Tammy, have a son, Nick, 22.

St. Vincent will travel to John Carroll Friday in its tourney debut.

BUBBA’S BITS

MORGAN HORVATH enjoyed a sparkling performance for the Miami Redhawks in a 76-56 reversal to Bowling Green. The freshman guard from Olentangy High, coming off a knee injury incurred last season, scored a career-high 13 points. She was 3-for-5 from the field (two treys) and 5-for-6 from the free throw line. Morgan is the daughter of Mark and Jaime (Rico) Horvath, both St. John Central grads. Mark quarterbacked St. John Central to a 9-1 record in football in 1986 as a senior while averaging 20 points a game in hoops for Bob Eaton.

Kapral may be reached at bkapral@timesleaderonline.com