Hiland High School had some big shoes to fill after OHSAA legendary girls basketball coach Dave Schlabach retired following the Lady Hawks’ Div. III state title in March, Schlabach’s sixth championship.

The district went out and found a replacement with big shoes, bringing in former college women’s coach Jason Mishler to take over the program.

The East Holmes Board of Education and Hiland Athletic Department named Mishler as the next girls varsity basketball coach at Hiland. Mishler has been the junior varsity coach on Schlabach’s staff for the last two years.

Mishler said he would like to thank the administration of East Holmes Schools for selecting him to be the next coach. “It is a tremendous honor to be trusted with the role as a head coach at Hiland and all it entails,” he said.

Hiland is excited to have Mishler leading the program into the future because he brings a wealth of knowledge about developing student-athletes to help them be successful in the classroom, on the court and in the community.

Mishler started his coaching career as an assistant coach for the Hiland boys basketball program in 2005-06 and 2006-07, helping them to a state Final Four appearance in the 2006-07 season. He then continued on as assistant coach for the Tiffin University women’s basketball team for the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons before returning to Hiland.

During the next two seasons, he helped the boys basketball team achieve success that ultimately led to a state championship in the 2011-12 season. In 2012 he was hired as the head coach for Malone University women’s basketball, where he spent three seasons leading the Pioneers.

In 2015 Mishler then transitioned to Tiffin University to take over the women’s program for three years before returning to the Berlin area. Since then he has been helping the Lady Hawks with their skill development, practice and game preparation. Additionally, he has spent multiple years helping Tom Jenkins and the Ohio Girls Basketball Report on player development and showcase events including The Classic in the Country.

Mishler is a 2000 graduate of Hiland, where he played for legendary coach Perry Reese. As a player Mishler was an All-Ohioan and compiled a playing career record of 90-11 while earning three-consecutive berths into the D-IV state semifinals.

After high school Mishler continued his playing career at Malone University and graduated in 2005 with a degree in secondary education. Currently, he is the event center coordinator for Mt. Hope Auction. His wife Michelle is a special education teacher at Hiland, and they reside in Berlin with their children: Perryn, 11; Jalen, 8; Jase, 6; and Josie, 5.