The Official Athletics Site Of The Warner University Royals

Paul Buehner is a native of Gratis, Ohio. He earned an Associates degree from Gavilan College in Gilroy, California playing basketball and baseball on a scholarship. He continued his education and graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and later went on to earn his Masters degree from Nova University in Fort Lauderdale, FL. 
    In the summer of 1977, Paul and Paula moved their family to Lake Wales, FL. where he began taking classes at Warner Southern College. In 1978, Buehner continued his course work at WSC and also began working as the assistant men’s basketball coach under Dr. Bill Rigel. 
    At the start of the school year in 1979 he began working full time for WSC as an instructor and also became the head coach of both the men’s basketball and baseball teams. He was the second men’s basketball coach in school history and the third baseball coach in school history.  Buehner coached the Royals basketball team from 1979-87 compiling a 113-89 record. His team’s won a program-best 19 games twice during his tenure and had five winning seasons.  Currently Buehner ranks fourth all-time in Warner basketball history in total wins (113) and is fourth in winning percentage (.559). He is also the second longest tenured coach in school history after leading the Royals for eight seasons.  
    On the baseball diamond, Buehner coached for three seasons from 1979-1981. He compiled a 17-27 record winning nine games in 1981, the second highest win total in the brief history of the program.
    In 1981 Buehner began serving as Warner’s Athletic Director, a position he held until 1987. During that time he oversaw the growth and expansion of the Warner athletics department including helping the school become part of the National Christian College Athletics Association in 1981. Buehner was instrumental in developing the facilities so the sports venues could be moved on campus. His early projects included the construction of the first baseball field which is now home to the Lady Royals softball team and also the Turner Athletic Center, which was completed and dedicated in 1988 and is home to the men’s and women’s basketball and men’s and women’s volleyball teams.
    In the fall of 1987 Buehner made the difficult decision to leave WSC to continue his career in education. He went to work at Lake Wales High School (LWHS). He served as an teacher and Athletic Director at LWHS.
    Paul married his high school sweetheart Paula Rae Lovely in 1968. After being happily married for 43 years, Paula went home to be with the Lord in August of 2011 after a lengthy battle with cancer. Paul and Paula have two children, Shelli Rae Jacobs (BA ‘09) and Kiser Dean Buehner.