University of Memphis Athletics
Former Tiger head coach Dana Kirk Died Monday
Feb 16, 2010 | Men's Basketball
Feb. 16, 2010
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Former Memphis basketball head coach Dana Kirk died Monday from a heart attack at the age of 74. The West Virginia native passed away at Methodist University Hospital.
Kirk coached the Tiger program for seven seasons from 1979-86, and the following lists his accomplishments as the Memphis head coach:
• Compiled a 158-58 overall record at Memphis (.731 winning percentage)
• The fourth-winningest coach in Tiger history
• Had a 59-29 Metro Conference record (.670 winning percentage)
• Named Metro Conference Coach of the Year for the 1983-84 season
• Earned Basketball Weekly Coach of the Year honor for the 1981-82 season
• Guided Memphis to the program's first-ever No. 1 national ranking in the 1982-83 season
• Led Memphis to five-straight NCAA Tournament appearances from 1982-86
• Under his guidance, Tigers advanced to at least the Sweet 16 in four of those five NCAA Tournament appearances
• Directed the Tigers to the program's second NCAA Final Four in 1985
• The 1984-85 team posted a 31-4 record, and at the time, the 31 victories were the most for a single season in school history
• Led Tigers to three Metro Conference regular season titles (1981-82, 1983-84, 1984-85)
• Guided Memphis to three Metro Conference Tournament crowns (1982, 1984, 1985)
• Had five-straight 20-win seasons from 1981-82 to 1985-86
• His 1985-86 team opened the season with 20-straight wins - fourth-longest win streak in school history and the second-longest win streak to open a season
• Won 39-consecutive home games from 1984-86, the second-longest homecourt win streak in Tiger hoops history
• Had an overall home record of 103-15 at Mid-South Coliseum (.873 winning percentage)
• Coached nine of the Tigers' 46 1,000-point scorers in school history, including Memphis all-time leading scorer Keith Lee (2,408 points)
• Also coached the Tigers' all-time leader in rebounding (Lee; 1,336 boards), blocked shots (Lee; 320 blocks) and assists (Andre Turner; 763 assists)
• Coached eight All-Metro Conference performers and six Metro Conference All-Freshman Team players
• Coached Keith Lee, who was a two-time Metro Conference Player of the Year pick (1982, 1985) and the 1982 Metro Conference Freshman of the Year
