Bill Oates

Teams coached: Saint Mary’s Gaels, Menlo Oaks
Saint Mary’s record: 84-105 (.444)
Menlo record: 78-51 (.605)
Overall record^: 162-156 (.509)

Bill Oates
Born October 15, 1939
Died February 5, 2020
Alma Mater: Occidental College (BA, 1961)
Played for head coach Grant L. Dunlap at Occidental College in Los Angeles from 1958-61
In five years as head coach at Santa Ana College, Oates went 95-55 and won two South Coast Conference (CCCAA) titles
Spent four years (1975-79) coaching and running the basketball program at Athletes in Action (AIA), a Christian sports organization
- Oates coached the US men’s national team at the 1978 FIBA World Championship in the Phillipines, finishing in 5th place with a team composed largely of players from his AIA program
Hired in 1979 to the head coach at D-I Saint Mary’s College (CA), leading the Gaels for seven seasons
- Went 84-105 overall during his tenure, highlighted by a WCC regular season title in his first season (1980)
Later jobs include a five-year stint at then-Division III Menlo College (CA) and a 13-year tenure at The Master’s University (non-NCAA)
- Was also athletic director at The Master’s; was inducted into the school’s athletic hall of fame in 2012 as a coach/admininstrator
Passed away in October 2020 at the age of 80

^ overall record includes head coaching positions at the NCAA Division I and Division III levels only