NORTHCANTON, Ohio — There is a certain balance to things in Northeast Ohio.

Tucked away in a region teaming with colleges and universities sits Walsh University, a quiet, quaint NAIA school.

It also contains a women's basketball coach who has made Walsh a perfect fit for her players.

Theresa Berg, who has coached at Walsh for eight seasons, is skilled in the recruiting wars in a place where athletes have so many choices.

There are NCAA Division I schools just a few miles away in Akron and Kent. There are Division III schools strewn across the landscape like streamers at a parade.

Yet year after year, Berg is able to attract players to her little corner of the world.

That's because Walsh is able to attract the bubble players who aren't offered a full ride to one of the Mid-American Conference schools, but who can get scholarship money to play atWalsh.

"We always seem to attract players," Berg said. "I tell you what, Northeast Ohio and Western Pennsylvania are so rich in basketball."

Berg should know.

She played four years at Grove CityCollege, leaving the school as the second leading scorer in Wolverines history with 1,347 points.

She then got her master's degree from SlipperyRock University in athletic administration in 1997.

Coaching basketball was something Berg always aspired to do.

"I knew from a young age, even before high school, and even younger, that I wanted to coach basketball," Berg said. "I went into college thinking I wanted to teach and coach at the high school level."

But playing at the collegiate level gave her a taste of what it would be like to coach in college. She was hooked.

Berg served as an assistant at Grove City College before moving on to Walsh.

"I just felt like I related more with the student athletes in a college setting," Berg said. "I've always been such a driven athletic person that I felt that level was one that related better to me."

Berg found Walsh University had very few similarities with Grove City College.

"Actually, they're are not similar at all," Berg said. "That has been one of the most difficult parts of my job: adjusting. About the only thing that is (similar) is they are both small campuses."

The schools attract radically different students.

But Berg has an idea of the type of player she prefers, one that she has adjusted over the years.

"I learned some hard lessons early in my coaching career," Berg said. "You can't just base things on skill. When they get here, they can have a problem attitude-wise, and be trouble and a problem.

Berg, who last season guided the Cavs to a 16-13 record, is enamored with her group of players.

"This last year, the chemistry has been phenomenal," Berg said. "The joy of coaching for me is watching them work together, work hard and work out their problems."

Berg is now 117-114 in her career at Walsh. Her win total is the all-time best at the school and she is one of only two coaches atWalsh to eclipse 100 victories.

Berg doesn't like to talk about numbers, either those during her playing days at Grove CityCollege or those in her coaching days at Walsh.

"I don't measure my success by numbers," Berg said.

WhenAbby Moose, a recentGrove City College graduate, was chasing her scoring mark, Berg was her biggest fan.

Always in search of a challenge, Berg has a big one on her plate these days.

In addition to being the women's basketball coach, she is also the assistant athletic director.

It is a role she never envisioned for herself in her days at Grove CityCollege.

That desire didn't come until she attended SlipperyRock University.

"I have a special place in my heart for SlipperyRock," Berg said. "The professors there opened my eyes to a whole new career. It was thrilling. If it wasn't for SlipperyRock, I wouldn't be where I'm at today."

<i>This is one in a series of articles on Slippery Rock University graduates who have moved on to athletic careers elsewhere.</i>