Head coach John Swickrath took over the reins of the LC program before the 2003-04 campaign following one season as an assistant at the college. His Hornets finished 9-18 - the most wins for the program in four seasons. LC improved to 11-15 in 2004-05 and finished 3-22 in 2005-06. The young Hornet squad was 6-19 last year.
A four-year letter-winner and 2001 graduate of Division III Denison University (Ohio) with a degree in history education, he averaged 13 points and nine rebounds in his senior season. Swickrath also competed in baseball and football for the Big Red, and returned to his alma mater for one season as an assistant cage coach.
In 2003-04, Swickrath led the Hornet program to its most wins since the 1996-97 season, and also defeated ODAC rival Roanoke College in Salem, VA for the first time in 18 years. The young mentor also led LC to a 54-50 ODAC Tournament defeat of #1 seeded Randolph-Macon - the first #8 seed to defeat a #1 seed in conference tournament history, spanning 24 years. The 2004-05 squad almost repeated the huge ODAC Tournament upset, losing to top-seeded Randolph-Macon in overtime. During the regular season, the Hornets swept ODAC rivals Emory & Henry and Washington & Lee and scored an upset victory at Bridgewater.
In his only season as an assistant at LC, Swickrath helped the Hornets earn four more wins than the 2001-02 campaign. He graduated from Indiana Wesleyan University in the spring of 2005 with a masters' degree in educational leadership.
Sheaffer, a native of Charlottesville, VA, remains with Lynchburg College after graduating this spring with a degree in accounting. He only missed one game his entire four-year collegiate career. He was third on the team in rebounding in 2006 and posted a career-high 18 points against R-MC in an ODAC Tournament game in 2005. Sheaffer will be assisting with floor coaching, recruiting, scouting, and film exchange while working on his master’s in business administration at LC.
Coach Charley Butcher, a Lexington Kentucky native, is entering his 11th season in the coaching ranks, and his first here at Lynchburg College.
Butcher spent the last four seasons serving as the head varsity coach at Fort Defiance High School in Staunton, VA, where he earned the honor of being named the Valley District Coach of the Year, and the Newsleader Coach of the Year. He has also served time as an assistant varsity coach at Lord Botetourt High School, Patrick Henry High School and Roanoke College.
A 1994 graduate of Roanoke College, Butcher spent two years serving as an Admissions Representative for his alma mater before entering the field of education. He now serves as a Biology teacher at EC Glass high school.
Coach Butcher lives in Forest with his wife Bethany, his daughter Megan and his son Kyle.
Charles Oliver, a native of Richmond, VA, returns to Lynchburg after graduating with a degree in sports management in May 2006. Oliver was a manager for the men's basketball team the previous three years. While serving as manager at LC, Oliver was also an assistant at Holy Cross Regional Catholic School during the 2005-2006 season. He previously was a member services attendant at the University of Richmond and also an assistant manager at April's Sports Shop at Chesterfield Town Center mall, both in Richmond, VA.
Oliver will be assisting with the Hornet Hoops summer camp operations and the day-to day operations of the basketball office.
For more information about Lynchburg College Men's Basketball, please contact head coach John Swickrath at (434) 544-8490 or by email at swickrath@lynchburg.edu.
