Dave Strack facts for kids
Strack from 1967 Michiganensian
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| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 2, 1923 Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. |
| Died | January 25, 2014 (aged 90) Tucson, Arizona, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1943–1946 | Michigan |
| 1946 | Indianapolis Kautskys |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1948–1959 | Michigan (assistant) |
| 1959–1960 | Idaho |
| 1960–1968 | Michigan |
| Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
| 1970–1972 | Michigan (associate AD) |
| 1972–1982 | Arizona |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 124–104 |
| Tournaments | 7–3 (NCAA University Division) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 3 Big Ten regular season (1964–1966) | |
David H. Strack (born March 2, 1923 – died January 25, 2014) was an important person in American college sports. He was an athletic director for the University of Arizona and a head basketball coach for the University of Michigan. He is remembered for his great work and was even added to the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.
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Growing Up and Playing Basketball
Dave Strack grew up in Indiana. He went to Shortridge High School in Indianapolis. There, he was the basketball team's captain and its best player in 1941. He was even chosen for the Indiana All-Star team! After high school, Strack played college basketball at the University of Michigan (often called UM). He was named the team's most valuable player (MVP) in both 1943 and 1946.
Coaching College Basketball
After college, Strack played basketball professionally for a short time with the Indianapolis Kautskys. But he soon returned to the University of Michigan. He worked there as an assistant basketball coach from 1948 to 1959.
In 1959, Strack became the head coach at the University of Idaho. After one year, he returned to the University of Michigan in 1960. He coached the Michigan Wolverines until 1968. During his time as head coach, he led the Wolverines to win three Big Ten Conference titles in a row (1964, 1965, and 1966).
His team also made it to the championship game of the NCAA Tournament in 1965. That year, his team had an amazing record of 24 wins and only 4 losses. Because of his success, Strack was named the UPI College Basketball Coach of the Year in 1965.
Becoming an Athletic Director
In 1968, Strack took on a new role at the University of Michigan. He became the business manager for the university. Then, in 1970, he became the associate athletic director.
In 1972, Strack moved to the University of Arizona to become their athletic director. This was a very important job where he managed all the sports programs. During his time at Arizona, he made some big changes. He hired Fred Snowden, who became the first African-American head coach of a major university basketball team. He also helped the school join the Pac-10 athletic conference.
In 1980, there was an issue involving the football program's money. Strack resigned from his role in 1982. He then became a professor of physical education.
In 1992, Dave Strack was honored for his contributions to basketball. He was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.
Personal Life
Dave Strack met Ruth Ann Mayer while they were both at the University of Michigan in 1947. They got married that same year. They lived in East Lansing for a short time before moving to Ann Arbor. There, they raised their five children.
When Strack became the athletic director at the University of Arizona, they moved to Tucson. After he retired, they moved to Prescott. Later, they returned to Tucson, where Ruth Ann passed away in 2011. Dave Strack died in 2014 at the age of 90, due to pneumonia.
See also
- List of NCAA Division I Men's Final Four appearances by coach
