It's Official: Heath Names Hipsher Assistant

[Brad]

Courtesy USF SID

HEATH NAMES DAN HIPSHER TO COACHING STAFF AT USF

Veteran collegiate coach owns nearly 30 years of experience

Tampa, Fla. (April 13, 2007) –  First-year University of South Florida head men’s basketball coach Stan Heath has announced the hiring of collegiate veteran Dan Hipsher as an assistant coach with the Bulls.

Hipsher is the first member of the coaching staff to be named by Heath, who was tabbed to direct the program at USF on April 3, 2007.

“Dan has been a valuable part of my staff the past two seasons at Arkansas and that will continue at USF,” Heath said.  Ã¢â‚¬Å“He has a wealth of experience as both an assistant and head coach and works well with the players.  His ties in the state of Florida from his days at the head coach at Stetson are also a benefit to the program.”

Hipsher’s 29-year coaching career at the collegiate level has included stops as both an assistant and a head coach, resulting in a total of eight NCAA Tournament appearances and three National Invitation Tournament selections.  He has spent each of the previous two seasons as an assistant under Heath at the University of Arkansas, helping the Razorbacks to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances and an overall record of 43-24.

Prior to Arkansas, Hipsher guided the program at the University of Akron for nine seasons.  While with the Zips, he helped develop the team into one of the league’s top offensive squads and captured league coach of the year accolades (1998).  Akron topped all of collegiate basketball in 3-point shooting (.433) in 2001 and was also the league’s best overall shooting team in 1998 and 2004.

Hipsher spent two seasons (1993-94 and 1994-95) as head coach of nearby Stetson University.  He helped the Hatters advance to the league tournament championship game in his second season and was rewarded with conference coach of the year accolades for his efforts.

Previous to Stetson, Hipsher guided NCAA Division III power Wittenberg University to three-straight NCAA Tournament appearances.  The team won a pair of league titles during his four-year tenure and advanced to the Elite Eight in 1990.  He received both conference and regional coach of the year honors while with the school and also added two conference tournament titles to his list of accomplishments.

In nine years as an assistant at the University of Dayton, Hipsher helped the Flyers to a pair of NCAA Tournament selection and three NIT selections.  His tenure at Dayton was highlighted by a trip to the Elite Eight in 1984 and Dayton posted an overall record of 1520114 during his stay.

Hipsher has made one stop in the junior college ranks, serving as first an assistant (1978-79) and then head coach (1979-80) at Miami-Dade Community College.  

Hipsher earned a bachelor’s in chemistry and biology from Bowling Green State University in 1997, where he also lettered in basketball and baseball.  An all-state performer in basketball during his prep career, he was twice named to the Mid-American Conference All-Academic Team.  He began his coaching career at Miami (OH) University, where he completed his master’s work in education in 1978 and served as a graduate assistant under head coach Darrel Hedric.

Hipsher and his wife, Sue, also a 1977 graduate of BGSU, have two sons, Andy (27) and Bryan (25).