Dan Hipsher

Dan Hipsher

UTRGV Athletics hired Dan Hipsher, who had been the associate head coach at Alabama for the previous four seasons, as the head coach of the men’s basketball team on April 4, 2013. He was re-assigned on March 15, 2016.
 
2015-16: In third season with the team, led team to highest WAC Tournament seed in program history at No. 6 … Coached Antonio Green to WAC Freshman of the Year honors … Led one of only seven teams in the NCAA to have five players averaging double-figures in scoring (senior Shaquille Hines, 13.9, Green, 11.6, graduate student Dakota Slaughter, 11.4, graduate student J.J. Thompson, 10.4, and sophomore Dan Kimasa, 10.0). Of those teams, the Vaqueros were one of only four to have all five of their starters averaging double-figures and the only one to have three newcomers (Green, Slaughter and Thompson) averaging double-figures.
 
2014-15: In second season with the team, played eight games against teams that went on to play in postseason tournaments, including two each against New Mexico State (NCAA), Seattle U (CBI) and Grand Canyon (CIT), and on each against Utah (NCAA), Sam Houston State (CIT) … Lead team to 3-0 start for the first time since 2006-07 … Earned wins over the teams that finished second (Grand Canyon), third (Kansas City) and fourth (Seattle U) in the WAC … Increase win total from previous season … Won eight home games … Brought in team’s leading scorer and All-WAC Second Team honoree Janari Joesaar, who ranked second in the WAC in scoring (16.9 points per game) … Coached freshman Dan Kimasa to All-WAC Defensive Team honors.
 
2013-14: In first season, took on a schedule that included 12 games against eventual playoff teams, including three against Utah Valley (NIT), two each against New Mexico State (NCAA) and Grand Canyon (CIT), and one each against SMU (NIT), Texas A&M (CBI), Sam Houston State (CIT), Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (CIT) and IPFW (CIT) … Led team to five road wins, their highest total since 2007-08 … Coached team to season sweeps of Chicago State and Kansas City, the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds in the WAC Tournament … Brought in team’s top two scorers as transfers over the summer, including Javorn Farrell, a fifth-year transfer from Massachusetts who averaged a team-high 16.1 points, ranked second in rebounds at 5.4, and tied for the team lead in assists at 3.3, and junior college transfer Shaquille Boga, who ranked second in scoring at 14.0, fourth in rebounds at 3.5, tied for first in assists at 3.3, and led the team in steals at 2.1 per game.
 
Career: Hipsher's knowledge and basketball acumen helped turn Alabama into one of the toughest defensive units in the country, while his eye for talent helped the Tide land a top-five recruiting class.
 
In 2012-13, Hipsher helped guide the Tide to a 23-13 record (12-7 SEC) and the NIT Quarterfinals.
 
In 2011-12, Alabama held 31 of its 33 opponents below their scoring average, allowing an average of 58.1 points per game. The Tide reached the 20-win mark for the second straight season, finishing with a 21-12 record, and made its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2006.
 
In his second season at UA, Hipsher helped turn a team with an early 5-5 record into one that amassed a 25-12 record and captured the 2011 Southeastern Conference Western Division title. That same squad made UA's first postseason appearance in four seasons and advanced to the NIT Championship Game.
  
The veteran coach came to Alabama after spending two seasons as an assistant coach at the University of South Florida (USF). Prior to joining the USF staff, Hipsher was an assistant coach at Arkansas, where he helped the Razorbacks to back-to-back NCAA Tournament berths.
 
Before serving as an assistant and associate at the high major ranks, Hipsher spent 15 years as a head coach. He started with four seasons at Division III Wittenberg, where he compiled a 97-18 (.843) record, four conference championships and three NCAA Tournament appearances. He led his team to the 1990 Elite 8 in his first season, earning NCAC Coach of the Year and NCAA Division III Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year honors.
 
He then moved on to Stetson University for two years, where he went 29-27 (.518), including 20-12 (.625) in Trans-America Athletic Conference play. Hipsher earned TAAC Coach of the Year honors in 1994-95 after winning the conference regular season championship.
 
Hipsher next began a nine-year stint as the head coach at the University of Akron in 1995-96, turning around a struggling program after just two seasons by going 17-10 (13-5 Mid-American Conference) in 1997-98 while earning MAC Coach of the Year honors. He led the Zips to records of 18-9 (12-6 MAC) and 17-11 (11-7 MAC) over the following two seasons.
 
Overall, Hipsher has a 247-205 (.546) record as a head coach, including 147-118 (.555) in conference contests. He has earned conference Coach of the Year honors three times and regional coach of the year twice.
 
Hipsher has shown an ability to create both offense and defense. In 1991-92, Wittenberg led the nation in field goal percentage defense, while in 2000-01, Akron led the nation in three-point shooting percentage.
  
Hipsher began his coaching career in 1977-78 as a graduate assistant at Miami University, where, while earning a master’s in education, he helped the RedHawks to a 19-9 record (12-4 MAC), a MAC Championship, a MAC Tournament Championship, and a victory in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
 
Hipsher then spent two seasons at Miami Dade Community College as an assistant coach and health and physical education instructor before returning to the NCAA Division I ranks as an assistant coach at Dayton under legendary head coach Don Donoher from 1980-89. The Flyers made five postseason appearances during that time, advancing as far as the NCAA Tournament Elite 8 in 1983-84.
 
In 36 seasons as a coach, Hipsher has an overall record of 582-457 (.560), including 226-198 (.533) in conference play. His teams have made 14 postseason appearances, including nine in the NCAA Tournament and five in the NIT.
 
Hipsher graduated from Bowling Green State University in 1977 with a bachelor's degree in chemistry and biology. He was a two-time captain and academic All-American for the Falcons.
 
The 61-year old Hipsher and his wife, Sue, are the parents of two sons, Andy (35) and Bryan (33). Both played collegiately for their father at Akron.

 
Year-by-Year Overall Results
YearSchoolPositionWinsLossWinning %
1977-78Miami (Ohio)Graduate Assistant199.679
1978-80Miami Dade C.C.Assistant Coach/HPE Instructor1324.351
1980-81DaytonAssistant Coach1811.621
1981-82DaytonAssistant Coach219.700
1982-83DaytonAssistant Coach1810.643
1983-84DaytonAssistant Coach2111.656
1984-85DaytonAssistant Coach1910.655
1985-86DaytonAssistant Coach1713.567
1986-87DaytonAssistant Coach1315.464
1987-88DaytonAssistant Coach138.619
1988-89DaytonAssistant Coach1217.414
1989-90WittenbergHead Coach292.935
1990-91WittenbergHead Coach263.897
1991-92WittenbergHead Coach236.793
1992-93WittenbergHead Coach197.731
1993-94StetsonHead Coach1415.483
1994-95StetsonHead Coach1512.556
1995-96AkronHead Coach323.115
1996-97AkronHead Coach818.308
1997-98AkronHead Coach1710.630
1998-99AkronHead Coach189.667
1999-00AkronHead Coach1711.607
2000-01AkronHead Coach1216.429
2001-02AkronHead Coach1021.323
2002-03AkronHead Coach1414.500
2003-04AkronHead Coach1315.464
2005-06ArkansasAssistant Coach2210.688
2006-07ArkansasAssistant Coach2114.600
2007-08South FloridaAssistant Coach1219.387
2008-09South FloridaAssistant Coach922.290
2009-10AlabamaAssociate Head Coach1715.531
2010-11AlabamaAssociate Head Coach2512.676
2011-12AlabamaAssociate Head Coach2112.636
2012-13AlabamaAssociate Head Coach2313.639
2013-14UTPAHead Coach923.281
2014-15UTPAHead Coach1021.323
2015-16UTRGVHead Coach822.267
As a Graduate AssistantOne Season199.679
As an Assistant Coach14 Seasons229193.543
As an Associate Head CoachFour Seasons8652.623
As a Head Coach18 Seasons265248.517
Total37 Seasons599502.544

Year-by-Year Conference Results
YearSchoolPositionWinsLossesWinning %
1977-78Miami (Ohio)Graduate Assistant124.750
1988-89DaytonAssistant Coach66.500
1989-90WittenbergHead Coach111.917
1990-91WittenbergHead Coach111.917
1991-92WittenbergHead Coach151.938
1992-93WittenbergHead Coach133.813
1993-94StetsonHead Coach97.563
1994-95StetsonHead Coach115.688
1995-96AkronHead Coach018.000
1996-97AkronHead Coach612.333
1997-98AkronHead Coach135.722
1998-99AkronHead Coach126.667
1999-00AkronHead Coach117.611
2000-01AkronHead Coach99.500
2001-02AkronHead Coach512.294
2002-03AkronHead Coach99.500
2003-04AkronHead Coach711.389
2005-06ArkansasAssistant Coach106.625
2006-07ArkansasAssistant Coach79.438
2007-08South FloridaAssistant Coach315.167
2008-09South FloridaAssistant Coach414.222
2009-10AlabamaAssociate Head Coach610.375
2010-11AlabamaAssociate Head Coach123.800
2011-12AlabamaAssociate Head Coach87.533
2012-13AlabamaAssociate Head Coach127.632
2013-14UTPAHead Coach511.313
2014-15UTPAHead Coach410.286
2015-16UTRGVHead Coach410.286
As a Graduate AssistantOne Season124.750
As an Assistant Coach14 Seasons3050.375
As an Associate Head CoachFour Seasons3827.585
As a Head Coach18 Seasons155138.529
Total37 Seasons235219.518

Year-by-Year Highlights
YearSchoolPositionHighlights
1977-78Miami (Ohio)Graduate AssistantMAC Champion … MAC Tournament Champion … NCAA Tournament Second Round
1980-81DaytonAssistant CoachNIT Second Round
1981-82DaytonAssistant CoachNIT Quarterfinals
1983-84DaytonAssistant CoachNCAA Tournament Elite 8
1984-85DaytonAssistant CoachNCAA Tournament First Round
1985-86DaytonAssistant CoachNIT First Round
1989-90WittenbergHead CoachNCAC Champion … NCAC Tournament Champion … NCAA Division III Tournament Elite 8
NCAC Coach of the Year … Great Lakes Region NCAA DII Coach of the Year
1990-91WittenbergHead CoachNCAC Champion … NCAC Tournament Champion … NCAA Division III Tournament Second Round
1991-92WittenbergHead CoachNCAC Champion … NCAA Division III Tournament First Round
1992-93WittenbergHead CoachNCAC Co-Champion
1994-95StetsonHead CoachTrans-America Athletic Conference Champion … Atlantic Sun Coach of the Year
1997-98AkronHead CoachMid-American Conf. Coach of the Year … Columbus Dispatch Ohio College Coach of the Year
2005-06ArkansasAssistant CoachNCAA Tournament First Round
2006-07ArkansasAssistant CoachNCAA Tournament First Round
2010-11AlabamaAssociate Head CoachNIT Runner Up
2011-12AlabamaAssociate Head CoachNCAA Tournament First Round
2012-13AlabamaAssociate Head CoachNIT Quarterfinals
As a Graduate AssistantOne SeasonOne Conference Championship … One Conference Tournament Championship
One NCAA Tournament Appearance
As an Assistant Coach14 SeasonsSeven Postseason Appearances (Four NCAA Tournaments and Three NITs)
As an Associate Head CoachFour SeasonsThree Postseason Appearances (One NCAA Tournaments and Two NITs)
As a Head Coach18 SeasonsFive Conference Championships … Two Conference Tournament Championship
Three NCAA Tournament Appearances … Five Coach of the Year Awards
Total37 SeasonsSix Conference Championships … Three Conference Tournament Championships
14 Postseason Appearances (Nine NCAA Tournaments and Five NITs)
Five Coach of the Year Awards