Many college athletes have wonderful careers after college and former UCA Sugar Bear Basketball coach Checola Seals-Horton is no exception.

Seals-Horton started her basketball career at UCA in 1988 and played until 1992.

Former UCA Sugar Bears Coach Ron Marvel said, “Seals-Horton was recruited by three to four schools in Arkansas. She had scholarships to play at UALR, and at UAPB. We were glad that she accepted our offer and helped our program.”

Seals-Horton set school records at UCA that have yet to be broken. Her junior year, 1990-1991, Seals-Horton set a school record of averaging 30.2 points per game over a 31 game schedule. She also added 12.5 rebounds per game.

Seals-Horton, under Marvel, led the Sugar Bears to 78 victories in her four years playing at UCA.

“Seals-Horton improved a lot during junior year,” Marvel said. “It was the highlight of her career. She set many school records that year which will keep her in UCA history forever,” Marvel said.

Seals-Horton was a two-time Kodak All-American in 1991-1992. In the same years, she was also a NAIA first-team All-American. Also in 1990, 1991 and 1992 Seals-Horton was an All-Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference player. She was also an AIC player in 1991.

“Seals-Horton is one of the best players UCA has ever had. She dominated the AIC her junior year,” UCA Sports Information Director Steve East said.

In her senior year, Seals-Horton suffered a knee injury.

“Seals-Horton’s knee injury did hurt her future of playing basketball, but it did give her the chance of becoming a coach,” Marvel said.

Seals-Horton received her degree in physical education in 1992. She started as a coach at Paschal High School in Fort Worth, Texas. Then she became an assistant coach at St. Louis University and West Alabama. Seals-Horton returned to UCA as an assistant coach under her mentor Marvel in 1999.

With Marvel retiring in 2004, Seals-Horton received the head coaching position for the Sugar Bears.

“When I announced that I was retiring, Seals-Horton was excited to get the opportunity to interview for the position, it was her goal,” Marvel said.

“She was the more popular choice for the head coaching position at that time. It was only logical for her to take over when Marvel retired,” East said.

In 2004-2005, Seals Horton led the Sugar Bears to a NCAA Division II Elite Eight in her first season.

“She had a great recruiting ability that helped build the team and take it to the next level,” Marvel said.

Seals-Horton was named the GSC Coach of the Year in 2004.

In September 2005, Seals-Horton was inducted into the UCA Sports Hall of Fame.

In 2007, Seals-Horton was fired for the declining losses of the Sugar Bears at the beginning of the season.

“The beginning of her coach season at UCA was a big success. The season she was fired, the team had a tough schedule. They were playing against the top five teams. It would have been tough to win, but the team lost by large scoring differences which lead to her being fired,” East said.

Marvel said: “Seals-Horton was one of my favorite players. She was an excellent player and a great coach. Her career is just beginning.”