David Hixon

Last updated

David Hixon (born December 3, 1952) is a retired American college basketball head coach who spent 42 years coaching Amherst College. As head coach, he transformed the Amherst men's basketball program into one of the best in the nation.

Contents

He was inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003 and into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023.

Playing career

The Andover, Massachusetts native was a member of the Amherst College men's basketball team while studying psychology. He graduated in 1975. [1]

His father, Wil Hixon, was a basketball coach at the high school level, best known for his stint at Andover High School where he also coached his son. Father and son won a state championship in 1970. Both were inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003. [2]

Coaching career

Following his playing days, Hixon earned a master's degree from the University of Massachusetts and volunteered in coaching (basketball, track & field, football) at Amherst. [3]

Hixon was hired as Amherst head coach in 1977 at only 24 years of age. [3] Until his retirement, he compiled a coaching record of 826–293, ranking him 15th in NCAA men's basketball when he retired in April 2020. He had a winning percentage of .738, good for a 10th place in NCAA Division III history, at the time of his retirement. He was named NABC NCAA Division III Coach of the Year in 2007 and 2013. [4]

Hixon's Amherst teams won national championships in 2006–07 and 2012–13. [5] In 2008, he reached the national championship game with his squad, where they suffered defeat to Washington (MO). In 2004, 2006, 2014, 2016, he led Amherst to the national semifinals. [6]

Under his tutelage, Amherst participated in the NCAA national tournament 20 times and compiled a 43-20 postseason record. However, due to New England Small Conference Athletic Conference (NESCAC) rules, his Amherst team was ineligible for NCAA postseason play until 1994. He took on arch rival Williams College 21 times during his coaching career, winning 17. [7]

Hixon also coached soccer and track at Amherst. [8] On May 7, 2022, the floor at Amherst's LeFrak Gymnasium was named Hixon Court. [9]

Retirement

On September 16, 2019, it was announced that Hixon would be taking a leave of absence for the 2019–2020 season, and that assistant coach Aaron Toomey would be the interim head coach. [10] On April 13, 2020, Hixon announced his retirement. [11] In April 2023, it was published that he was elected into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. [12] Hixon was the first coach of an NCAA Division III institution to be inducted. [13]

Legacy

Several of Hixon's players went on to play professionally, including players like:

Other standout players of his Amherst tenure include

Throughout his coaching career, Hixon received interest from NCAA Division I schools, especially from the Ivy League. In 2008, he was a candidate to become the new head coach of Bucknell University. Hixon declined the offer, but suggested Dave Paulsen of Amherst's rival Williams College as a candidate. Paulsen eventually ended up getting the Bucknell job. [18]

Family

His wife Mandy, a member of the United States International Diving Team from 1980 to 1984, served as diving coach at Amherst College, Williams College and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She was also an assistant Professor of Physical Education, Coordinator of Aquatics, assistant Director of Intramurals and assistant coach of field hockey, lacrosse and tennis. [19]

The couple's first son Matthew is a film editor, [20] their younger son Michael won silver medals at the 2016 [21] and 2020 Olympic Games [22] in diving.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NCAA Division III men's basketball tournament</span> Tournament to determine the NCAA Division III national champion

The NCAA Division III men's basketball tournament is a tournament to determine the NCAA Division III national champion. It has been held annually from 1975 to 2019 & since 2022, but not played in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19 issues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NCAA Division III women's basketball tournament</span> Annual tournament

The NCAA Division III women's basketball championship is the annual tournament to determine the national champions of women's NCAA Division III collegiate basketball in the United States. It was held annually from 1982, when the NCAA began to sponsor women's sports at all three levels, through 2019. No championship was held in 2020 or 2021 due to COVID-19 issues.

The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, is an American organization of men's college basketball coaches. It was founded in 1927 by Phog Allen, the men's basketball head coach for the University of Kansas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dave Paulsen</span> American college basketball coach (born 1964)

Dave Paulsen is an American college basketball coach who is currently the head coach at Holy Cross. Previously, he was the head men's basketball coach at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. Before arriving at George Mason, he was previously the head coach at Bucknell University for seven seasons. Prior to Bucknell, he spent eight years as the head coach at his alma mater, Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, and also coached at St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York, and Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York.

The NABC Player of the Year is an award given annually by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) to recognize the top player in men's college basketball across the three largest college athletic associations in the United States. The award has been given since the 1974–75 season to National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I basketball players, and since the 1982–83 season to its Division II and Division III players. The award has been given since the 2007–08 season to National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and to two-year schools' players. The awards have previously been sponsored by State Farm Insurance.

The NABC Coach of the Year is an award given annually by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) to recognize the top head coach in men's college basketball across the four largest college athletic associations in the United States. The award has been given since the 1958–59 season to National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I coaches, since 1961–62 to Division II, and since 1975–76 to Division III coaches. At the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) level it has been awarded since 1992–93, while the two-year schools' coaches have been honored since 1983–84. The award is currently sponsored by the United States Marine Corps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Women's Basketball Coaches Association</span>

The Women's Basketball Coaches Association is an association of coaches of women's basketball teams at all levels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Washington University Bears</span> Athletic teams representing Washington University in St. Louis

The Washington University Bears are the athletic teams of Washington University in St. Louis, located in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Washington University is currently a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the NCAA Division III level. The Bears compete in the University Athletic Association (UAA).

Michael Hixon is an American diver. He is a two-time Olympic medalist, having won the silver medal with Sam Dorman in the men's synchronized 3-meter springboard event at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and the silver medal with Andrew Capobianco at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo in the same event.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glenn Robinson (coach)</span>

Glenn R. Robinson is a retired American basketball coach who coached the men's team at Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania for 48 years. He is the all-time wins leader in Division III men's basketball history with over 900 career victories. He announced his retirement on November 5, 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Randolph–Macon Yellow Jackets</span> Athletic teams representing Randolph–Macon College

The Randolph–Macon Yellow Jackets are the athletic teams that represent Randolph–Macon College, located in Ashland, Virginia, in NCAA Division III intercollegiate sports. The Yellow Jackets compete as members of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. Altogether, Randolph–Macon sponsors 18 sports, with 9 teams for each gender. The school's newest sport of men's volleyball, introduced for the 2019 season, is the only team that does not compete in the ODAC, instead competing in the Continental Volleyball Conference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Framingham State Rams</span> Athletic teams representing Framingham State University

The Framingham State Rams are composed of 14 varsity teams representing Framingham State University in intercollegiate athletics. All teams compete at the NCAA Division III level and all teams compete in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC).

Steve Moore is an American retired college basketball head coach. In his 39-year career, he coached at two schools: Muhlenberg College (1981–1987) and The College of Wooster (1987–2020).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff Gibbs</span> American basketball player (born 1980)

Jeffrey Gibbs is an American professional basketball player for the Koshigaya Alphas of the B.League. Gibbs played college basketball for Otterbein University and is a professional player since 2004.

Frank Weston Moore is an American college basketball coach who is the current women's basketball head coach at NC State. A head coach at all three levels of NCAA women's college basketball since 1987, Moore has been named Coach of the Year eight times by three conferences and over 20 regular season or conference tournament championships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John DiBartolomeo</span> American-Israeli basketball player

John DiBartolomeo is an American-Israeli professional basketball player and the team captain for Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Basketball Premier League and the EuroLeague. He played college basketball at the University of Rochester, where he starred in his four seasons with the Yellow Jackets, and was dubbed "one of the best players in the University of Rochester men's basketball history". DiBartolomeo played professional basketball in Spain and Israel, where he was named the Israeli League Regular Season MVP and Israeli League Cup MVP in 2017 and the Israeli League Final Four MVP in 2019.

Tyheim Demetrious Monroe is an American basketball player who last played for Rahoveci. He played college basketball for the Cabrini Cavaliers and was named NABC Division III Player of the Year after his senior season.

Aston Francis is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Lakeland Magic of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for three seasons at Wheaton College, where he won the Bevo Francis Award after averaging an NCAA-leading 34.3 points per game in his senior season. Francis previously played for Tyler Junior College.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryan Turell</span> American basketball player

Ryan K. Turell is an American professional basketball player for Ironi Ness Ziona of the Israeli Basketball Premier League. Turell played college basketball for Yeshiva University in the Skyline Conference. As a senior in 2021–22, he was the highest scorer across all levels of college basketball with 27.1 points per game and was named NABC DIII National Player of the Year, Skyline Conference Player of the Year, and D3hoops.com Region 3 Player of the Year. He led Yeshiva University to one of the longest winning streaks in NCAA Division III men's college basketball history.

Aaron Toomey is an American college basketball coach for the Hartford Hawks of the Commonwealth Coast Conference. He played college basketball for the Amherst Mammoths, where he was the national Player of the Year in 2013 and led the Mammoths to the Division III national championship.

References

  1. ↑ "It's official: Hixon done at Amherst". D3hoops. 2020-04-13. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  2. ↑ "Like father, like son". Amherst College. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  3. 1 2 "Top on-court moments from David Hixon's Hall of Fame career coaching Amherst basketball". Daily Hampshire Gazette. 2023-08-07. Retrieved 2023-08-14.
  4. ↑ "NABC NCAA Division III Coach of the Year". NABC. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  5. ↑ "Head Coach David Hixon '75". Amherst College. Retrieved 2013-05-27.
  6. ↑ "NCAA Championship History". Amherst College. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  7. ↑ "Dave Hixon, longtime Amherst College basketball coach, retires after 42 seasons". Daily Hampshire Gazette. 2020-04-13. Retrieved 2022-11-03.
  8. ↑ "Legendary Amherst College Men's Basketball Coach David Hixon '75 to Retire". Amherst College. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  9. ↑ "Hixon Court dedicated in honor of legendary Amherst basketball coach". Amherst College. 2022-05-07. Retrieved 2022-11-03.
  10. ↑ "Amherst College men's basketball coach Dave Hixon takes leave of absence; Aaron Toomey takes reins". Daily Hampshire Gazette. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  11. ↑ "It's official: Hixon done at Amherst". D3hoops. 2020-04-13. Retrieved 2023-08-13.
  12. ↑ "David Hixon '75 Elected to Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame". Amherst College. 15 July 2021. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
  13. ↑ "Former Amherst College coach, David Hixon becomes first DIII coach to join HOF". Western Mass News. 2023-08-13. Retrieved 2023-08-13.
  14. ↑ "NABC Division III All-America Teams". NABC. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  15. 1 2 "All-time D3hoops.com men's All-Americans". D3hoops. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  16. ↑ "Amherst's Professional Men's Basketball Players". Amherst College. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  17. ↑ "NABC Division III All-America Teams". NABC. Archived from the original on 2019-03-30. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  18. ↑ Feinstein, John. "Perspective. For 42 years, Amherst's Dave Hixon was one of the best coaches you never heard of". Washington Post. ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  19. ↑ "Mandy Hixon - Men's Swimming & Diving Coach". University of Massachusetts Athletics. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  20. ↑ "Hall of Fame Amherst College basketball coach David Hixon kept his family close". Daily Hampshire Gazette. 2023-08-10. Retrieved 2023-08-13.
  21. ↑ "Olympic silver medalist Michael Hixon finds time to train on Thanksgiving break". Daily Hampshire Gazette. 2016-11-26. Retrieved 2022-11-03.
  22. ↑ "Olympics: Amherst's Michael Hixon claims another synchronized diving silver medal at Tokyo 2020". Daily Hampshire Gazette. 2021-07-28. Retrieved 2023-08-13.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.