Bob Vanatta

Bob Vanatta

Bob Vanatta from The Savitar, 1963
Biographical details
Born	(1918-07-07)July 7, 1918 Columbia, Missouri, U.S.
Died	October 22, 2016(2016-10-22) (aged 98) Jupiter, Florida, U.S.
Playing career
1943–1945	Central (MO)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1947–1950	Central (MO)
1950–1953	SW Missouri State
1953–1954	Army
1954–1956	Bradley
1956–1962	Memphis State
1962–1967	Missouri
1972–1973	Delta State
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1956	Bradley
1973–1976	Oral Roberts
1976–1979	Ohio Valley Conference (comm.)
1979–1983	Trans America Athletic Conference (comm.)
1983–1986	Louisiana Tech
1986–1994	Sunshine State Conference (comm.)
1997–1999	Florida Atlantic (assoc. AD)
Head coaching record
Overall	333–200
Tournaments	2–2 (NCAA)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
2× NAIA champion (1952, 1953)

Bob Vanatta (July 7, 1918 – October 22, 2016) was an American basketball coach and college athletics administrator. He was the head basketball coach for Central Methodist, Missouri State University, Army, Bradley, Memphis State, Missouri, and Delta State University. At Missouri State, he won the 1952 and 1953 NAIA Championships. He compiled a 109-34 record at Memphis State, including making it to the 1957 NIT Championship game. After coaching, he later served as athletic director at Oral Roberts University, commissioner of the Ohio Valley Conference, commissioner of the Atlantic Sun Conference, executive director of the Independence Bowl, athletic director at Louisiana Tech University, commissioner of the Sunshine State Conference, president of the NCAA Division II Conference Commissioner's Association, and associate athletic director at Florida Atlantic University. He was a Palm Beach County Sports Commission member, which presents the Lou Groza Award to the nation's top placekicker.

Vanatta died October 22, 2016, aged 98, in Melbourne, Florida.^[1]