It took Bob Rukavina a much shorter time to reach 500 miles than 500 wins, but the latter is well within his grasp.

A Lower Burrell native who has traveled 65 miles to work almost every day for 30 years to coach the Pitt-Johnstown men’s basketball team, Rukavina needs one win to reach 500.

The Mountain Cats (14-2, 8-1), ranked sixth in the DIISIDA Atlantic Region, take on Mercyhurst (8-5, 6-3) in a PSAC matchup Wednesday night at UPJ.

“I estimate just miles from home to Pitt-Johnstown in 30-and-a-half years are probably just under 1 million,” Rukavina said. “That doesn’t include recruiting, which is a bunch more.”

No. 500 for the venerable Rukavina would be his team’s seventh straight win this season.

Rukavina, 63, began coaching at UPJ in 1989. He was the the 2006-07 National Independent Coach of the Year and has a career record of 499-346.

UPJ has made the NCAA Division II Tournament four times and has registered seven 20-win seasons.

The coach ranks 13th among active D-II coaches in wins.

His other honors include being named the West Virginia Athletic Conference Coach of the year in 2007-08 and PSAC Western Division Coach of the Year in 2015-16 and 2018-19.

UPJ’s next three games are at home. It hosts Slippery Rock on Saturday and IUP on Jan 22.

Rukavina also had coaching stints at CCAC-Allegheny and CCAC-South, as well as Riverview High School in Oakmont.

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