 Vanatta fromThe Savitar, 1963 | |
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1918-07-07)July 7, 1918 Columbia, Missouri, U.S. |
| Died | October 22, 2016(2016-10-22) (aged 98) Jupiter, Florida, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1943–1945 | Central (MO) |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1947–1950 | Central (MO) |
| 1950–1953 | SW Missouri State |
| 1953–1954 | Army |
| 1954–1956 | Bradley |
| 1956–1962 | Memphis State |
| 1962–1967 | Missouri |
| 1972–1973 | Delta State |
| Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
| 1956 | Bradley |
| 1973–1976 | Oral Roberts |
| 1976–1979 | Ohio Valley Conference (comm.) |
| 1979–1983 | Trans America Athletic Conference (comm.) |
| 1983–1986 | Louisiana Tech |
| 1986–1994 | Sunshine State Conference (comm.) |
| 1997–1999 | Florida Atlantic (assoc. AD) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 333–200 |
| Tournaments | 2–2 (NCAA) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 2×NAIA champion (1952,1953) | |
Bob Vanatta (July 7, 1918 – October 22, 2016) was an Americanbasketball coach and college athletics administrator. He was the head basketball coach forCentral Methodist,Missouri State University,Army,Bradley,Memphis State,Missouri, andDelta State University. At Missouri State, he won the 1952 and 1953 NAIA Championships. He compiled a 109–34 record at Memphis State, including making it to the 1957NIT Championship game. After coaching, he later served as athletic director atOral Roberts University, commissioner of theOhio Valley Conference, commissioner of theAtlantic Sun Conference, executive director of theIndependence Bowl, athletic director atLouisiana Tech University, commissioner of theSunshine State Conference, president of the NCAA Division II Conference Commissioner's Association, and associate athletic director atFlorida Atlantic University. He was a Palm Beach County Sports Commission member, which presents theLou Groza Award to the nation's topplacekicker.
Vanatta died October 22, 2016, aged 98, inMelbourne, Florida.[1]
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Eagles(Independent)(1947–1950) | |||||||||
| Central: | 61–20 (.753) | ||||||||
| Southwest Missouri State Bears(Mid–America Intercollegiate Athletics Association)(1950–1953) | |||||||||
| 1950–51 | Southwest Missouri State | 22–3 | 7–3 | 2nd | |||||
| 1951–52 | Southwest Missouri State | 27–5 | 10–0 | 1st | NAIA Champions | ||||
| 1952–53 | Southwest Missouri State | 24–4 | 8–2 | 1st | NAIA Champions | ||||
| Southwest Missouri State: | 73–12 (.857) | 25–5 (.833) | |||||||
| Army Cadets(Independent)(1953–1954) | |||||||||
| 1953–54 | Army | 15–7 | |||||||
| Army: | 15–7 (.682) | ||||||||
| Bradley Braves(Independent)(1954–1955) | |||||||||
| 1954–55 | Bradley | 9–20 | NCAA Elite Eight | ||||||
| Bradley Braves(Missouri Valley Conference)(1955–1956) | |||||||||
| 1955–56 | Bradley | 13–13 | |||||||
| Bradley: | 22–33 (.400) | ||||||||
| Memphis State Tigers(Independent)(1956–1962) | |||||||||
| 1956–57 | Memphis State | 24–6 | NIT Finals | ||||||
| 1957–58 | Memphis State | 15–7 | |||||||
| 1958–59 | Memphis State | 17–6 | |||||||
| 1959–60 | Memphis State | 18–5 | NIT First Round | ||||||
| 1960–61 | Memphis State | 20–3 | NIT Quarterfinals | ||||||
| 1961–62 | Memphis State | 15–7 | NCAA first round | ||||||
| Memphis State: | 109–34 (.762) | ||||||||
| Missouri Tigers(Big Eight Conference)(1962–1967) | |||||||||
| 1962–63 | Missouri | 10–15 | 5–9 | T–6th | |||||
| 1963–64 | Missouri | 13–11 | 7–7 | T–4th | |||||
| 1964–65 | Missouri | 13–11 | 8–6 | T–3rd | |||||
| 1965–66 | Missouri | 3–21 | 1–13 | 8th | |||||
| 1966–67 | Missouri | 3–22 | 1–13 | 8th | |||||
| Missouri: | 42–80 (.344) | 22–48 (.314) | |||||||
| Delta State Statesmen(Gulf States Conference)(1972–1973) | |||||||||
| 1972–73 | Delta State | 11–14 | 4–10 | ||||||
| Delta State: | 11–14 (.440) | 4–10 (.286) | |||||||
| Total: | 333–200 (.625) | ||||||||
National champion Postseason invitational champion | |||||||||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
