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Hank Anderson

Hank Anderson (1920-2005)

Teams coached: Gonzaga Bulldogs, Montana State Bobcats
Gonzaga record: 290-275 (.513)
Montana State record: 28-24 (.538)
Overall record: 318-299 (.515)

Career Accomplishments:

  • NCAA National Championships:  0
  • NCAA Tournament Appearances:  0
  • NIT Championships:  0
  • NIT Appearances:  0
  • Big Sky Regular Season Champion:  2  (1966, 1967)
  • NAIA Tournament Appearances:  1  (1953)

Awards:

Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):

1972-1974 Montana State
1951-1972 Gonzaga

Hank Anderson Facts

  • Thor Henry Anderson
  • Born December 5, 1920
  • Died September 5, 2005
  • Hometown: Milton-Freewater, Oregon
  • Alma Mater: University of Oregon (BA, 1941)
  • After graduating from Burns HS (OR) and started his collegiate at Eastern Oregon Normal School
    • Transferred to Oregon in 1939, playing basketball for the Ducks for two years under coach Howard Hobson
  • Spent two years as the head coach at Baker HS (OR), separated by his US Army Air Force service during WWII
    • Also coached at Medford HS (OR) for one year and Grants Pass HS (OR) for four seasons
    • His overall high school coaching record was 167-43; in 1950, his Grants Pass team was state runner-up
  • Hired in 1951 to be the head basketball coach at Gonzaga, then an Independent program
    • Led the Bulldogs for 21 seasons, going 290-275 overall and finishing above .500 eleven times
    • In 1953, Anderson also became the athletic director at Gonzaga, serving in both roles until 1972
    • Gonzaga moved to the Big Sky in 1963 and the Bulldogs won the Big Sky title in both in 1966 and 1967
  • Made the surprising move in 1972 to leave Gonzaga for conference rival Montana State
    • Coached the Bobcats for just two seasons, going 28-24 overall
  • In 1974, Anderson became the athletic director at Northern Arizona, serving in that role until his 1983 retirement
    • Oversaw construction of the Walkup Skydome (opened in 1977) and was on the Fiesta Bowl board of directors
  • Later worked with the Las Vegas Stars, a minor league baseball team coached by another former Gonzaga AD Larry Koentopp
  • Passed away in 2005 at the age of 84 after suffering an aortic aneurysm in Gig Harbor, WA

Hank Anderson Coaching Tree

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