Steve Stielper Holds on to JMU Record

Steve Stielper (BIS ’01) is a big deal kind of guy. At 6’7”, he’s considered uncommonly tall. And as a former JMU basketball player, he’s held the all-time scoring record in JMU Men’s basketball for over 40 years.

Stielper first came to JMU in 1976 after being recruited for the men’s basketball team. He’d been spotted at a basketball camp in high school and JMU coaches had kept their eyes on him. After a successful Easter-weekend visit to Harrisonburg, Stielper was all set to become a JMU Duke.

Basketball was a big deal for Stielper, both personally and socially. He learned a lot about himself and gained a great deal of confidence. Basketball also gave him the opportunity to play professionally. He was drafted by the Indiana Pacers before finishing his senior year. He played overseas in Spain and Australia before coming back to the states to move on with his life.

But he remembered his time at JMU and had a desire to come back. It turned out he was only 22 credits shy of completion. He ultimately finished his Bachelor’s of Individualized Studies through the Adult Degree Program in 2001 with his research focusing on American’s with Disabilities accommodations in the construction field, which is where he was working a the time.

Now he’s working at the same middle school he attended when it was a high school. He’s a student advocate; working as a liaison between middle-schoolers and teachers. The job is especially important right now, while schools and students are still in turmoil due to COVID. Stielper also coaches volleyball, tennis, and teaches driver’s ed.

Stielper loves having a job that relates to youth. His experiences in life have helped to form him as a person and they help him to relate to his current students. Though his path did not go exactly as he had thought it might, he says he has no regrets. He is thankful for his job and his family, and he still holds the all-time scoring record for JMU men’s basketball.

His advice to his current students and education students just getting started? "Pay attention along the way. Stay social. Soak in all the information from all the people who are trying to give it to you."