James Wearden

Title: Head Coach

Email: weardeja@wesley.edu

Phone: 302-736-2314

Year: Fourth

College: West Virginia '85

James Wearden completed his fourth season as the head women's basketball coach at Wesley College in 2009-10. Each of his first four teams has improved upon its winning percentage from the previous season as continues to bring the Wolverines closer to the top of the Capital Athletic Conference.

In 2009-10, Wearden guided Wesley to their second straight ECAC South Championship bid and 17-win season.  Two players, Angie Owens and Cory Boyd, were named to the All-CAC team, while Owens earned her second consecutive spot on the D3hoops.com All-Region squad.  The team finished third in the CAC regular season, its highest place since joining the conference.

Wearden's 2008-09 team was Division III's most prolific team from three-point range, hitting 8.8 threes per game.  Junior guard Colleen Thomas finished fourth in the nation with 3.1 threes per game.  She was just one of three Wolverines to finish in the top 10 nationally in a statistical category.  Boyd ranked fourth in Division III in assists and Owens finished eighth in field goal percentage.  It all resulted in Wesley winning five more games than the previous year for the second straight season, 17 victories and a trip to the ECAC South Championship Game. 

After the season, Owens and Boyd were named to the All-CAC team and Owens was chosen to the D3hoops.com All-Region team.  Wesley also won 10 games in the CAC, fourth in the conference behind three teams that advanced to the NCAAs. 

During the 2008-09 season, the Wolverines turned in the three highest single game totals for made threes in CAC history.  Three Wesley student-athletes set single season school records:  Thomas hit 93 three pointers, Boyd dished out 207 assists and Owens grabbed 332 rebounds.

His 2007-08 team won five more games than the 2006-07 squad and finished 8-8 in the CAC, which sent a pair of teams to the NCAA tournament. His squad paced the conference with 6.81 made threes per game, while freshman Cory Boyd led the CAC in assists.

Prior to Wesley, Wearden posted a 216-94 (.697) record in nearly 13 seasons as a high school coach. He has led teams to seven Henlopen Conference divisional titles and three final four appearances. He was Henlopen Conference Coach of the Year in 1999 and was a coach of the Delaware senior girl’s basketball all-star game three times.  During the last seven full seasons, Wearden has a remarkable 111-13 (.895) record in the Henlopen Conference.

Wearden holds bachelor of arts (1985) and master of science (1989) degrees, both from West Virginia University. In addition to coaching, Wearden taught in the Seaford system from 1991 until he accepted his current position at Wesley.

He is also a former teacher and coach at Colonel Richardson High School in Federalsburg, Maryland. Wearden has been International Girls Basketball Tournament Coach with People to People Sports Ambassadors since 1994. Wearden also serves as the Director of Recreation at Wesley College. 

^Joined Capital Athletic Conference

Jeff Berry

Title: Assistant Coach

Email: berry@wesley.edu

Phone: 302-736-2344

Year: Sixth/First

College: Delaware State '99

Major: Accounting

Jeff Berry rejoins the Wesley College basketball program this winter and will assist with both the men's and women's programs.  Berry returned after previously serving as a men's assistant from in December of 2004-08.

Berry assists with the offense, focusing on the backcourt players. He served various roles with the program, including recruiting and scouting of opponents.

Berry has been a varsity assistant coach for nine years, coaching boys for six years and girls for three years. Jeff helped lead Dover High School boys varsity team to the Delaware State Championship game in 2003 and has also coached at Polytech High School and Cape Henlopen High School. He worked for two years for the Lady Senator Capital City Camp and one year at the Bob Huggins Cincinnati Team Camp, while also coaching in various community basketball leagues in Dover.

Berry is a 1994 graduate of Dover High School and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting, with a minor in Business Administration from Delaware State University in 1999. Berry resides in Dover.