Former Southwestern and Shawe Boys Basketball Coach Jerry Bomholt to be inducted into Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame

He will be honored by Southwestern Dec 19th in a ceremony

Jerry Bomholt, a 1971 graduate of Elwood High School, compiled a 602-393 record .605-win percentage in 44 seasons as a varsity basketball coach at nine schools, retiring in February 2025 when health issues prompted him to step down. 

Over the years, Bomholt’s teams won 13 sectionals as well as claiming regional and semi-state crowns in 1998 and finishing as the 1998 Class 2A state runner-up. His teams also captured 20 conference championships and 22 holiday invitational titles. A 2007 Indiana AllStar assistant coach, Bomholt was recognized on 17 occasions as a Coach of the Year, including being voted 2000 IBCA District 4 Coach of the Year as well as 2018 and 2019 HBCA District 4 Coach of the Year. 

As a player, Bomholt averaged 11.3 points, 3.2 assists and was chosen honorable mention All-Central Indiana Conference for the 7-14 Panthers as a junior. He then tallied 11.2 points, 4.1 assists and was selected second-team all-CIC for another 7-14 team as a senior. Bomholt played on the Wabash College freshman team in 1971-72, then transferred to Ball State, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in 1975 and a master’s degree in 1981, both in math and physical education.

Bomholt was freshman coach at Peru from 1975-79, then went 23-1 with a sectional title in 1979-80 as Anderson Highland interim coach when Bob Fuller passed away. Bomholt then went 57-39 from 1980-84 at Jay County (sectionals in 1981, 1982, 1983), 10-11 in 1984-85 at Northwestern, 22-22 from 1985-87 at Shenandoah, 29-34 from 1987-90 at Columbia City, 78-55 from 1990-96 at Princeton (sectionals in 1991, 1992), 78-35 from 1997-2002 at Southwestern (Hanover) with the 1998 tournament run, 135-73 at Shawe Memorial from 2002-11 (sectionals in 2003, 2006, 2010, 2011), 31-14 from 2012-14 at Franklin Community, 86-60 from 2014-20 at Southwestern again (sectionals in 2018, 2019) and 53-49 from 2020-25 at Jay County again.

Bomholt, who was presented a Sagamore of the Wabash from Gov. Frank O’Bannon in January 2003, served the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association as a district representative from 1993-95 and 1999-2001, vice president in 2001-02, president from 2003-05 and past 
president from 2005-08.

He and his wife, June, have three adult children – Scott, Jay and Amy – and five grandchildren. 

Below is the release from the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame 

(New Castle) - Rooted in a passion that spans generations, the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame remains dedicated to Honoring, Preserving and Promoting the Heritage of Indiana High School Basketball. That commitment continues as the Hall’s Board of Directors announces its 64th induction class, to be celebrated in ceremonies on Wednesday, March 18, 2026.

Eighteen men are in the class, including 1987 Indiana co-Mr. Basketball Jay Edwards of Marion, and seven other players (John Barnhill of Evansville Lincoln, Wallace Bryant of Gary Emerson, Jaraan Cornell of South Bend Clay, Tom Cutter of Lafayette Central Catholic, Richard Ellis of Indianapolis Crispus Attucks, Rick Fox of Warsaw and Ron Horn of Mississinewa).The class also includes four men who were successful as players and coaches (Brandon Brantley of Andrean, Leo Costello of Lynnville, Harry Larrabee of Shelbyville and Ed Schilling of Lebanon), five coaches (Dick Barr of Muncie Central, Jerry Bomholt of Elwood, Cliff Hawkins of Cascade, Marty Johnson of Highland and Robert “Bob” Punter of DeMotte) 
and one broadcaster – Howard Kellman of Indianapolis – as the Indiana Pacers/Indiana Fever Silver Medal winner. The Silver Medal is presented to a person who contributed to Indiana high school basketball in a role other than as a player or coach. 

Barnhill, Barr, Cornell, Costello, Ellis and Horn are posthumous inductees. Costello, a 1923 high school graduate, is the winner of the hall’s Centennial Award, which inducts a man who graduated high school from 100 years ago or more.

The 18 inductees as well as the 2026 men’s Silver Anniversary Team members and the 2026 men’s Center Circle Officials Award honorees will be honored at the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame’s 64th Men’s Awards Banquet on Wednesday, March 18, 2026.

A mid-day reception, free and open to the public, will be held earlier on March 18 at the Hall of Fame Museum in New Castle. The evening banquet will take place at Primo Banquet Hall, 2615 National Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46227.

Banquet reservations will soon be available on the Hall of Fame’s website or by calling (765) 529-1891. For more information, you may also email kayla@hoopshall.com.