Dave Strack
Encyclopedia
Dave Strack is a former university athletic director
for the University of Arizona
and and head basketball
coach of the University of Michigan
. He is an inductee of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame
.
in Indianapolis, Indiana
where he was the basketball team's captain and MVP in 1941 and named to the Indian All-Star team. Strack played basketball for the University of Michigan
(UM), earning MVP honors in 1943 and 1946.
. He returned to UM and served as an assistant basketball coach from 1948 to 1959. Strack left to become the head coach at the University of Idaho
for one year.
The following year he was hired as the head coach for men's basketball at the University of Michigan and served from 1960 to 1968. He led the Wolverines to three Big 10 conference titles (1965, 1966, 1967) and to the 1965 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
title game. Following his team's 24–4 record and runner-up finish in 1965, Strack was named the UPI College Basketball Coach of the Year
.
Strack resigned in January 1972 to become the athletic director of the University of Arizona
. Strack's tenure at Arizona included the hiring of the first African-American head coach of a major university (basketball coach Fred Snowden
) and the school's transition into PAC 10 athletic conference. In 1980, Strack was criticized following a scandal involving the football program's use of an athletic slush fund for improper payments to coaches, alumni and recruits. Strack resigned in July 1982 to become a professor of physical education.
In 1992, Strack was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.
Athletic director
An athletic director is an administrator at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic programs...
for the University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
and and head basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
coach of the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. He is an inductee of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame
Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame
The Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame is a sports museum and hall of fame in New Castle, Indiana. It honors men and women associated with high school, college and professional basketball in Indiana....
.
Early life
Strack grew up in Indiana. He graduated from Shortridge High SchoolShortridge High School
Shortridge High School is a public high school located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Opened in 1864, it is the oldest free, public high school in the state...
in Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
where he was the basketball team's captain and MVP in 1941 and named to the Indian All-Star team. Strack played basketball for the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
(UM), earning MVP honors in 1943 and 1946.
Basketball career
He briefly played professionally for the Indianapolis Kautskys of the NBLNational Basketball League (United States)
Founded in 1937, the National Basketball League, often abbreviated to NBL, was a professional men's basketball league in the United States. The league would later merge with the Basketball Association of America to form the National Basketball Association in 1949.- League history :The...
. He returned to UM and served as an assistant basketball coach from 1948 to 1959. Strack left to become the head coach at the University of Idaho
University of Idaho
The University of Idaho is the State of Idaho's flagship and oldest public university, located in the rural city of Moscow in Latah County in the northern portion of the state...
for one year.
The following year he was hired as the head coach for men's basketball at the University of Michigan and served from 1960 to 1968. He led the Wolverines to three Big 10 conference titles (1965, 1966, 1967) and to the 1965 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
1965 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1965 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 23 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 8, 1965, and ended with the championship game on March 20 in Portland, Oregon...
title game. Following his team's 24–4 record and runner-up finish in 1965, Strack was named the UPI College Basketball Coach of the Year
UPI College Basketball Coach of the Year
The UPI College Basketball Coach of the Year was an annual basketball award given to the best men's basketball head coach in NCAA Division I competition. The award was first given following the 1954–55 season and was discontinued following the 1995–96 season...
.
Athletic director
In 1968, Strack became the University of Michigan's business manager, then the associate athletic director in 1970.Strack resigned in January 1972 to become the athletic director of the University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
. Strack's tenure at Arizona included the hiring of the first African-American head coach of a major university (basketball coach Fred Snowden
Fred Snowden
Frederick Snowden was an American businessman and men's basketball coach at the University of Arizona. Nicknamed "The Fox" for his cool demeanor, he was the first African-American head coach at a major university...
) and the school's transition into PAC 10 athletic conference. In 1980, Strack was criticized following a scandal involving the football program's use of an athletic slush fund for improper payments to coaches, alumni and recruits. Strack resigned in July 1982 to become a professor of physical education.
In 1992, Strack was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.