Dan Hughes - Biography

Dan Hughes

College - Muskingum

� WNBA Coach of the Year (2001, 2007)
� 14 WNBA All-Star Selections
� 9 Postseason Appearances
� 5 WNBA All-Rookie Team Selections
� 4 All-WNBA First Team Selections
� 4 All-WNBA Second Team Selections
� 4 Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Awards
� 3 WNBA All-Defensive Team Honorees
� 1 WNBA Top 15 Honoree
� 1 Conference Title

The winningest coach in San Antonio Stars history, Dan Hughes returns for his ninth season in 2014. In his dual appointment as head coach and general manager, Hughes oversees the Stars� basketball staff, the team�s roster development and all player acquisitions, while also coaching the team. Hughes stepped aside as head coach to assume a full-time general manager role for the 2010 season and resumed his dual roles in 2011.

In 13 years as a head coach � of the Charlotte Sting, the Cleveland Rockers and San Antonio � Hughes has led his teams to nine playoff appearances, four Western Conference Finals and one WNBA Final. He has collected the third most wins in WNBA history and also is the winningest coach in the history of both the San Antonio and the Cleveland Rockers franchises.

Hughes is the only coach in WNBA history to take three different franchises to the playoffs. He guided the 2008 Silver Stars to a 24-10 mark, earning the best record in the league and the franchise�s first Western Conference Championship and its first trip to the WNBA Finals. Additionally, Hughes has been named WNBA Coach of the Year � most recently in 2007 � or finished as runner-up four times.

A member of the five-person USA Basketball Selection Committee for the 2010 World Championships and the 2012 Olympics, Hughes is also serving as a member of the selection committee for the Kay Yow Award. He has also spent time working as a broadcaster on San Antonio Spurs telecasts, as well as on men�s and women�s college games.

During his eight seasons with San Antonio Hughes guided the Stars to six-consecutive postseason appearances. In total, he has helped Stars players earn 14 WNBA All-Star nods, seven All-WNBA honors, five All-Rookie Team selections, three WNBA All-Defensive Team accolades, two Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Awards and a WNBA Top 15 selection.

In his role as general manager, Hughes is responsible for assembling the foundation of the Stars franchise - he selected now four-time WNBA All-Star and three-time All-WNBA selection Sophia Young in the 2006 WNBA Draft and orchestrated the 2007 trade that brought now seven-time WNBA All-Star and WNBA Top 15 honoree Becky Hammon to the Alamo City. During offseason free agency, Hughes has picked up notable veterans including Tully Bevilaqua, Chamique Holdsclaw, Vickie Johnson, Delisha Milton-Jones and Tangela Smith while acquiring the likes of Ruth Riley and now-perennial Sixth Woman of the Year contender Jia Perkins in trade scenarios. He also utilized San Antonio�s draft position to select Jayne Appel � who earned WNBA All-Star recognition as a rookie � and 2011 All-Rookie Team selections Danielle Adams and Danielle Robinson.

Prior to joining the Stars, Hughes spent a year as the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Assistant Commissioner for Men�s Basketball Operations. Before joining the MAC�s athletic office, he served as the head coach of the now-defunct Cleveland Rockers from 2000-03.

During his four-year stint with the Rockers, Hughes posted a 66-64 record with three trips to the playoffs. His overall record with the Rockers made him the winningest coach in franchise history. In his first season in Cleveland, Hughes directed the team�s resurgence from a 7-25 season in 1999 to a 17-15 finish in 2000 and was voted WNBA Coach of the Year runner-up. The following year, Hughes was named 2001 WNBA Coach of the Year after leading the Rockers to a 22-10 record and to their second straight playoff appearance. The 2001 Rockers were one of the best defensive teams ever, posting defensive statistics that still rank amongst the best in the WNBA record books. Cleveland led the league in three defensive categories during the 2001 season, including opponents� points per game (55.9 ppg, first in league history), opponents� field goal percentage (.381, second in league history) and opponents� total rebounds (27.84 rpg). The Rockers finished second in point differential (+6.8 ppg) and opponents� defensive rebounds (18.56 drpg). Hughes� Rockers kept 11 teams to 50 points or less, three teams to fewer than 40 points and five teams to their franchise low, including a WNBA record 34 points vs. Washington on May 31, 2001.

Hughes earned his first shot at coaching in the WNBA with the Charlotte Sting. While serving as an assistant coach during the 1999 season, Hughes took over as head coach midway through the season; he helped the Sting improve their standing in the Eastern Conference from fourth to second place, posting a 10-10 record. He led the team to its third consecutive playoff appearance and its first ever playoff series victory. In addition to his coaching responsibilities in Charlotte, Hughes was a scout for the Charlotte Hornets during the offseason.

More than thirty-two of Hughes� former players and assistant coaches from his 13 years as a WNBA head coach have gone on to join the coaching ranks at the high school, college and professional levels, as well as internationally. Hughes� former athletes who went on to become Division I head coaches are: Tricia Bader Binford (Montana State), Suzie McConnell-Serio (Duquesne), Wendy Palmer-Daniel (North Carolina-Greensboro), Jennifer Rizzotti (Hartford), Charlotte Smith (Elon) and Dawn Staley (South Carolina). Six of Hughes� former players and assistants are currently coaching professional in the WNBA and NBA: Brian Agler (Head Coach - Seattle), Cheryl Reeve (Head Coach - Minnesota), Sandy Brondello (Assistant Coach - Los Angeles), T.R. Dunn (Assistant Coach - Minnesota Timberwolves), Vickie Johnson (Assistant Coach - San Antonio) and Stephanie White (Assistant Coach - Indiana). A native of Lowell, Ohio, Hughes has been involved in coaching basketball at almost every level in the Buckeye State. Prior to joining the Sting, he served as the assistant coach with the University of Toledo�s women�s basketball program (1996-97) and men�s basketball program (1991-96). During his tenure with the Rockets� women�s team, they posted a 27-4 record, winning the MAC Championship, and made an NCAA Tournament appearance. He also served assistant coaching stints with the men�s teams at Mount Union College (1982-84 and 1985-91) and Baldwin-Wallace College (1984-85).

During the 1977-78 season, Hughes served as a graduate assistant at Miami of Ohio, helping the team to a MAC Championship and an appearance in the NCAA Regionals.

Hughes graduated with a degree in physical education and history from Muskingum College in New Concord, Ohio, in 1977. He earned a Master�s Degree in education from Miami University of Ohio in 1978.

Hughes and his wife, Mary, have two children, Bryce and Sara. Sara coaches high school volleyball and basketball is married to Captain Craig Bayer of the United State Air Force , the couple reside in Omaha, Neb. with their son, Logan.