Dana Altman

Dana Altman
Current position
TitleHead coach
TeamOregon
ConferenceBig Ten
Record354–152 (.700)
Annual salary$3.525 million[1]
Biographical details
Born (1958-06-16) June 16, 1958 (age 66)
Wilber, Nebraska, U.S.
Playing career
1976–1978Southeast CC
1978–1980Eastern New Mexico
Position(s)Guard
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1980–1982Western Colorado (assistant)
1982–1983Southeast Community College
1983–1986Moberly Community College
1986–1989Kansas State (assistant)
1989–1990Marshall
1990–1994Kansas State
1994–2010Creighton
2010–presentOregon
Head coaching record
Overall764–395 (.659) (college)
Tournaments17–16 (NCAA Division I)
13–11 (NIT)
2–1 (CIT)
5–1 (CBI)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
NCAA Regional—Final Four (2017)
CBI (2011)
MVC Tournament (1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007)
MVC Regular Season (2001, 2002, 2009)
Pac-12 Tournament (2013, 2016, 2019, 2024)
Pac-12 Regular Season (2016, 2017, 2020, 2021)
Awards
SoCon Coach of the Year (1990)
Big Eight Coach of the Year (1993)
MVC Coach of the Year (2001, 2002)
Pac-12 Coach of the Year (2013, 2015, 2016)
Jim Phelan Award (2013)

Dana Dean Altman (born June 16, 1958) is an American college basketball coach of the Oregon Ducks men's team.[2] Previously he was head coach at Creighton, Kansas State and Marshall. He has been awarded a Coach of the Year Award for each team that he has coached in the NCAA to go with ten conference tournament championships and seven regular season titles while reaching the NCAA tournament sixteen times; he led the Ducks to the Final Four in 2017, which was their first as a program since 1939.

College education

[edit]

Dana Altman began playing college basketball at Fairbury Junior College (now Southeast Community College) in Fairbury, Nebraska. He earned an associate degree in business administration there in 1978. He then received his undergraduate degree in the same field at Eastern New Mexico University in 1980.[3]

Coaching career

[edit]

Marshall

[edit]

In his first NCAA Division I head coaching position, Altman became the head men's basketball coach at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia in 1989. Although he only spent one season as the coach of the Thundering Herd, Altman led the Herd to a 15–13 record and to runners-up in the Southern Conference tournament losing to East Tennessee State in the tournament championship game. Altman left Marshall after only one season to replace his mentor, Lon Kruger, at Kansas State.

Kansas State

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Although his four-year tenure as Kansas State's head coach produced one NCAA tournament appearance, Altman will be remembered most for his ability to win close ball games, and for pulling off some of the biggest upsets in school history.[citation needed]

Altman's teams were 28–13 in games decided by six points or less, which included a 6–1 mark in one-point games. His 1992–93 club perpetuated a Kansas State tradition. Picked to finish last in the Big Eight, Altman's Wildcats won 11 games in the final minute, earned the school's first Top 25 ranking in five seasons, finished 19–11, reached the championship game of the Big Eight tournament and returned Kansas State to the NCAA tournament for the 21st time.

Altman's peers named him Big Eight Coach-of-the-Year in 1993 and he capped the season by upsetting No. 6 Kansas 74–67 in the semifinals of the conference tournament.

The following season, he made it two in a row over Kansas when he upset the No. 1 ranked Jayhawks 68–64 in Lawrence. His 1993–94 squad finished the season with a 20–14 record and advanced to the NIT Final Four in New York City. Following the season, he accepted the head coaching position at Creighton, in his home state of Nebraska.

Creighton

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During his time at Creighton, his athletes earned three All-American honors on the court and three other Academic All-America laurels in the classroom. Three players he coached at Creighton, Kyle Korver, Rodney Buford, and Anthony Tolliver, have played in the NBA.

Altman was named Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year twice, first in 2001 and also in 2002. Altman was a finalist for the Naismith College Coach of the Year and named the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC District 12 and USBWA District VI Coach of the Year in 2002–03.

Altman became the 14th head coach in Creighton history following the 1993–94 season after four years as the head coach at Kansas State. Hired on March 31, 1994, Altman inherited a team that posted a 7–22 ledger the year before his arrival and led the Bluejays to a slightly improved 7–19 record in 1994–95 before his 1995–96 squad jumped to 14–15. In 1996–97, Altman's team was 15–15 and followed with another substantial jump to 18–10 and a bid to the NIT in 1997–98.

On April 2, 2007, Altman announced that he would become the head coach for the Arkansas Razorbacks, in a deal that was rumored to be a $1.5 million per year, 5-year contract. Only one day later he had a change of heart and returned to Omaha and his team at Creighton, citing family reasons. He had not consulted his wife or high school age daughter prior to accepting the job.[4]

On February 5, 2009, Altman won his 300th game as Creighton head coach. In his first 13 years at Creighton, Altman ranked third all-time on the coaching victories list in the 99-year history of the Missouri Valley Conference, trailing only Hall of Fame coaches Henry Iba and Eddie Hickey. His record in 16 seasons with the Creighton Bluejays was 327–176 (.650), the most wins in school history.

Oregon

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On April 24, 2010, Altman agreed to a 7-year contract worth nearly $2 million per year with Oregon.[5][6][7][8][9] The university made it official on April 26 with a press conference. As of 2020, he is the currently highest-paid public employee of the state of Oregon.

Under Dana Altman, the University of Oregon has consistently been one of the top basketball schools in the Pac-12, with notable conference achievements including three regular season Pac-12 Conference championships (2016, 2017, 2019), and four Pac-12 tournament championships (2013, 2016, 2019, 2024). His prior coaching experience playing against UCLA was one of the main reasons why Oregon recruited him, as the Ducks wanted to improve standings. Altman has also led the Ducks to success in the NCAA tournament, including a Final Four run in 2017.

In 2013 Oregon earned its first NCAA tournament bid under Dana Altman. This run ended in the sweet sixteen. Oregon continued this success, making the NCAA tournament in 2014 and 2015. Both the 2013–14 and 2014–15 seasons ended in the round of 32.

On March 13, 2016, Oregon earned its first #1 seed in the NCAA tournament in program history thanks to winning the Pac-12 regular season and conference tournament titles. On February 28, 2024, Altman hit 750 career wins in a 78–71 win over rival Oregon State.

On March 26, 2016, the Oregon Ducks lost, as a #1 seed in the Elite Eight to the #2 seeded Oklahoma Sooners due in large part to a lights out shooting performance by Buddy Hield.[10]

On November 11, 2016, Oregon and Altman agreed on a seven-year contract extension that will keep him in Eugene through the 2022–2023 season.

On March 25, 2017, Altman led the #3 seeded Ducks to their first Final Four in 78 years with a 74–60 upset over #1 seed Kansas in Kansas City. This was Altman's first Final Four appearance. Oregon would go on to lose in the Final Four to end what was considered a massively successful season for Altman and the Ducks.[11]

On November 17, 2017, Altman won his 600th career Division I game in a 114–56 Ducks win over Alabama State.[12]

On March 14, 2019, Oregon and Altman agreed on a three-year contract extension that will keep him in Eugene through the 2025–2026 season.[13] Two weeks later, Altman notched his 235th win at Oregon with a victory over UC Irvine in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, tying Ernie Kent as the winningest coach in school history. He broke the record with Oregon's first win of the following season, over Fresno State on November 5, 2019.

Personal life

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Altman was born in Wilber, Nebraska.[3] He is married to the former Reva Phillips. They have three sons Jordan, Chase, and Spencer, and one daughter, Audra.[3] Altman, who had been an Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America, received a Distinguished Eagle Scout Award in 2008.[14][15]

Head coaching record

[edit]

Junior college

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Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Southeast Bobcats (Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference) (1982–1983)
1982–83 Southeast JC 29–6 NJCAA Tournament
Southeast JC: 29–6 (.829)
Moberly Greyhounds (Missouri Community College Athletic Conference) (1983–1986)
1983–84 Moberly 25–9
1984–85 Moberly 35–5 NJCAA Tournament
1985–86 Moberly 34–4 NJCAA Tournament
Moberly: 94–18 (.839)
Total: 123–24 (.837)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

College

[edit]
Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Marshall Thundering Herd (Southern Conference) (1989–1990)
1989–90 Marshall 15–13 9–5 2nd
Marshall: 15–13 (.536) 9–5 (.643)
Kansas State Wildcats (Big Eight Conference) (1990–1994)
1990–91 Kansas State 13–15 3–11 8th
1991–92 Kansas State 16–14 5–9 T–6th NIT Second Round
1992–93 Kansas State 19–11 7–7 T–5th NCAA Division I Round of 64
1993–94 Kansas State 20–14 4–10 T–6th NIT Semifinal
Kansas State: 68–54 (.557) 19–37 (.339)
Creighton Bluejays (Missouri Valley Conference) (1994–2010)
1994–95 Creighton 7–19 4–14 T–9th
1995–96 Creighton 14–15 9–9 T–5th
1996–97 Creighton 15–15 10–8 T–6th
1997–98 Creighton 18–10 12–6 2nd NIT First Round
1998–99 Creighton 22–9 11–7 T–2nd NCAA Division I Round of 32
1999–00 Creighton 23–10 11–7 4th NCAA Division I Round of 64
2000–01 Creighton 24–8 14–4 1st NCAA Division I Round of 64
2001–02 Creighton 23–9 14–4 T–1st NCAA Division I Round of 32
2002–03 Creighton 29–5 15–3 2nd NCAA Division I Round of 64
2003–04 Creighton 20–9 12–6 T–2nd NIT First Round
2004–05 Creighton 23–11 11–7 T–3rd NCAA Division I Round of 64
2005–06 Creighton 20–10 12–6 T–2nd NIT Second Round
2006–07 Creighton 22–11 13–5 2nd NCAA Division I Round of 64
2007–08 Creighton 22–11 10–8 4th NIT Second Round
2008–09 Creighton 27–8 14–4 T–1st NIT Second Round
2009–10 Creighton 18–16 10–8 4th CIT Semifinal
Creighton: 327–176 (.650) 182–106 (.632)
Oregon Ducks (Pacific-10/Pac-12 Conference) (2010–2024)
2010–11 Oregon 21–18 7–11 T–7th CBI Champion
2011–12 Oregon 24–10 13–5 T–2nd NIT Quarterfinal
2012–13 Oregon 28–9 12–6 T–2nd NCAA Division I Sweet 16
2013–14 Oregon 24–10 10–8 T–3rd NCAA Division I Round of 32
2014–15 Oregon 26–10 13–5 T–2nd NCAA Division I Round of 32
2015–16 Oregon 31–7 14–4 1st NCAA Division I Elite Eight
2016–17 Oregon 33–6 16–2 T–1st NCAA Division I Final Four
2017–18 Oregon 23–13 10–8 T–6th NIT Second Round
2018–19 Oregon 25–13 10–8 T–4th NCAA Division I Sweet 16
2019–20 Oregon 24–7 13–5 1st NCAA Division I Canceled
2020–21 Oregon 21–7 14–4 1st NCAA Division I Sweet 16
2021–22 Oregon 20–15 11–9 5th NIT Second Round
2022–23 Oregon 21–15 12–8 4th NIT Quarterfinals
2023–24 Oregon 24–12 12–8 4th NCAA Division I Round of 32
Oregon Ducks (Big Ten Conference) (2024–present)
2024–25 Oregon 9–0 1-0
Oregon: 354–152 (.700) 168–91 (.649)
Total: 764–395 (.659)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Oregon Ducks extend Dana Altman's contract through 2026–27". www.oregonlive.com. The Oregonian. July 22, 2021. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
  2. ^ "Oregon makes Creighton's Altman next basketball coach". The Sports Network. April 26, 2010. Archived from the original on June 22, 2011.
  3. ^ a b c "Altman Named Men's Basketball Coach". goducks.com. April 26, 2010.
  4. ^ White, John A. (October 25, 2022). Why it Matters. Austin, TX: Greenleaf Book Group Press. p. 172. ISBN 9781626349582.
  5. ^ Hunt, John (April 24, 2010). "Oregon basketball: Creighton's Dana Altman will be next Ducks coach". OregonLive.com. Retrieved April 25, 2010.
  6. ^ Oregon Basketball: Ducks Close to Hiring Creighton's Dana Altman[permanent dead link]
  7. ^ "Dana Altman Taking Oregon Job". Archived from the original on January 9, 2014. Retrieved April 25, 2010.
  8. ^ "Altman Expected To Be New UO Basketball Coach". Archived from the original on May 1, 2010. Retrieved April 25, 2010.
  9. ^ "Reports: Altman to replace Kent". ESPN.com. April 24, 2010. Retrieved April 25, 2010.
  10. ^ "Oregon Ducks awarded a No. 1 seed for NCAA Tournament". March 14, 2016.
  11. ^ Larson, Sean (November 11, 2016). "Dana Altman receives contract extension through 2023". AddictedToQuack.com.
  12. ^ Mims, Steve. "Altman's milestone win comes in blowout". The Register-Guard. Eugene, OR. Retrieved November 18, 2017.[permanent dead link]
  13. ^ "Oregon, Dana Altman agree to terms on contract extension". March 14, 2019.
  14. ^ "Altman receives top honors from Boy Scouts". Archived from the original on May 15, 2009. Retrieved May 11, 2010.
  15. ^ "Former Huskers Help Honor 'Ultimate Boy Scout'". www.huskers.com. June 27, 2008.