Gary Garner

Gary Garner
Biographical details
Born	September 12, 1943 (age 80)
Playing career
1962–1965	Missouri
Position(s)	Guard
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1967–1971	Kemper Military Academy
1971–1976	Trenton JC
1976–1977	Joplin JC
1977–1981	Missouri (assistant)
1981–1988	Drake
1988–1989	Tulsa (assistant)
1991–1997	Fort Hays State
1997–2006	Southeast Missouri State
2006–2008	Iowa Energy (assistant)
2009–2023	Dakota State
Head coaching record
Overall	Division I: 221–236 (.484)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
	NCAA Division II tournament (1996); OVC regular season (2000); OVC tournament (2000); 3 RMAC regular season (1992, 1996, 1997); 4 RMAC tournament (1994–1997); 2 NSAA regular season (2015, 2016); 2 NSAA tournament (2015, 2016)
Awards
	NABC Division II Coach of the Year (1996); MVC Coach of the Year (1982); OVC Coach of the Year (1999); RMAC Coach of the Year (1996)

Gary Garner (born September 12, 1943) is an American former college basketball coach. He led several programs, including Drake and Southeast Missouri State at the NCAA Division I level. Garner also coached at Fort Hays State and Dakota State, winning a Division II national championship with Fort Hays in 1996.^[1]

Raised in West Plains, Missouri, Garner played college basketball for the Missouri Tigers from 1962 to 1965. Following his playing career, he turned to coaching, leading junior college programs at Kemper Military Academy, Trenton Junior College and Joplin Junior College (now Missouri Southern State University) before accepting an assistant coach role at his alma mater under coach Norm Stewart. He spent four seasons on the Tiger staff, helping to build some of the program's best teams, before landing the head coaching position at Drake.^[2]

Following his departure from SEMO, Garner spent two seasons as an assistant for Nick Nurse with the Iowa Energy of the NBA G League. Determining that he enjoyed coaching college players more than professionals, Garner accepted the head coaching role at Dakota State University of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), where he coached for 14 seasons less a short break to be treated for cancer.^[1] Taking over a relatively pedestrian program, he led the school to two regular season and two conference tournament titles in the North Star Athletic Association (NSAA). He led the Trojans to four national tournament appearances in a five-year span. Garner retired following the 2022–23 season.^[3]

References[edit]

^ ^a ^b Merry, Wade (November 12, 2019). "'It's all I want to do': Dakota State coach Gary Garner leans on basketball during cancer fight". argusleader.com. Argus Leader. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
^ "Gary Garner, an assistant at Missouri for four seasons,..." UPI.com. United Press International. May 15, 1981. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
^ Rupp, Brennen (January 26, 2023). "Gary Garner set to retire after 14-year stint at DSU". madisondailyleader.com. Madison Daily Leader. Retrieved November 16, 2023.

External links[edit]

[ARGUS-1] Merry, Wade (November 12, 2019). "'It's all I want to do': Dakota State coach Gary Garner leans on basketball during cancer fight". argusleader.com. Argus Leader. Retrieved November 16, 2023.

[2] "Gary Garner, an assistant at Missouri for four seasons,..." UPI.com. United Press International. May 15, 1981. Retrieved November 16, 2023.

[3] Rupp, Brennen (January 26, 2023). "Gary Garner set to retire after 14-year stint at DSU". madisondailyleader.com. Madison Daily Leader. Retrieved November 16, 2023.

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