Bill Strannigan (1918-1997)
Teams coached: Colorado A&M Rams, Iowa State Cyclones, Wyoming Cowboys
Colorado A&M record: 60-56 (.517)
Iowa State record: 69-46 (.600)
Wyoming record: 179-187 (.489)
Overall record: 308-289 (.516)
Career Accomplishments:
- NCAA National Championships: 0
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 2 (1954, 1967)
- NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen: 2 (1954, 1967)
- NCAA Tournament Final Four: 0
- NIT Championships: 0
- NIT Appearances: 2 (1968, 1969)
- WAC Regular Season Champion: 2 (1967, 1969)
- Skyline Regular Season Champion: 1 (1954)
Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):
1959-1973 | Wyoming |
1954-1959 | Iowa State |
1950-1954 | Colorado A&M |
Bill Strannigan Facts
- William Matthew Strannigan
- Born December 1, 1918
- September 7, 1997
- Hometown: Dalry, Scotland / Rock Springs, Wyoming
- Alma Mater: University of Wyoming (BA, 1942)
- Born in Scotland and raised in Wyoming, Strannigan was a three-sport star for the Cowboys (football, baseball and basketball)
- Playing under HOF basketball coach Everett Shelton, he was an All-American and three-time All-Skyline honoree
- Started his coaching career at Colorado State, going 60-56 in four seasons with the Rams
- Led the program to its first ever NCAA Tournament in 1954 after claiming the Skyline title
- Left for Iowa State in 1954, coaching the Cyclones for the next five years
- Did not reach the postseason but finished above .500 in four of five seasons at the helm
- His 1956-57 team was ranked as high as #3 in the AP Poll during the season
- Did not reach the postseason but finished above .500 in four of five seasons at the helm
- Returned to his alma mater Wyoming in 1959, where he would finish his career coaching the Cowboys for 14 seasons
- Claimed two WAC championships, reached the NCAA Sweet Sixteen in 1967 and went to the NIT twice
- Retired from coaching in 1973 with 179 victories at Wyoming and 308 victories overall
- Inducted into the Wyoming Athletics Hall of Fame in 1994 and the Iowa State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005
Bill Strannigan Coaching Tree
- Glen Anderson (Iowa State)
- Tom Asbury (Pepperdine, Kansas State)
- Jim Brandenburg (San Diego State, Wyoming, Montana)
- Bill Purden (Valparaiso)
- Moe Radovich (Wyoming)