David Hixon (born December 3, 1952) is a retired Americancollege basketball head coach who spent 42 years coachingAmherst College. As head coach, he transformed the Amherst men's basketball program into one of the best in the nation.
He was inducted into theNew England Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003 and into theNaismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023.
TheAndover, Massachusetts native was a member of the Amherst College men's basketball team while studyingpsychology. He graduated in 1975.[1]
His father, Wil Hixon, was a basketball coach at the high school level, best known for his stint atAndover 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]
Following his playing days, Hixon earned a master's degree from theUniversity 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 toWashington (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 rivalWilliams 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]
On September 16, 2019, it was announced that Hixon would be taking a leave of absence for the 2019–2020 season, and that assistant coachAaron 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 theNaismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.[12] Hixon was the first coach of an NCAA Division III institution to be inducted.[13]
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 theIvy League. In 2008, he was a candidate to become the new head coach ofBucknell University. Hixon declined the offer, but suggestedDave Paulsen of Amherst's rival Williams College as a candidate. Paulsen eventually ended up getting the Bucknell job.[18]
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 theUniversity 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 afilm editor,[20] their younger sonMichael won silver medals at the2016[21] and2020 Olympic Games[22] indiving.