Tom Apke
Tom Apke (born July 16, 1943)
Teams coached: Creighton Bluejays, Colorado Buffaloes, Appalachian State Mountaineers
Creighton record: 130-64 (.670)
Colorado record: 59-81 (.421)
Appalachian State record: 139-147 (.486)
Overall record: 328-292 (.529)
Career Accomplishments:
- NCAA National Championships: 0
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 3 (1975, 1978, 1981)
- NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen: 0
- NIT Championships: 0
- NIT Appearances: 1 (1977)
- Missouri Valley Regular Season Champion: 1 (1978)
- Missouri Valley Tournament Champion: 2 (1978, 1981)
Awards:
- SoCon Coach of the Year: 1 (1988)
- Missouri Valley Coach of the Year: 1 (1978)
Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):
| 1986-1996 | Appalachian State |
| 1981-1986 | Colorado |
| 1974-1981 | Creighton |
| 1968-1974 | Creighton (asst) |
Tom Apke Facts
- Thomas Apke
- Born July 16, 1943
- Alma Mater: Creighton University (BA, 1965)
- Played three seasons for the Creighton Bluejays under head coach Red McManus
- Spent six seasons as an assistant coach at his alma mater, working for both McManus and his successor Eddie Sutton
- Took over as head coach of the Bluejays, a position he held for seven seasons
- Was head coach in 1977 when the program returned to the Missouri Valley after nearly 30 years as an Independent
- His Bluejays team won the 1978 MVC Tournament, defeating Larry Bird and Indiana State in the title game
- Reached the NCAA Tournament three times and the NIT once at Creighton
- Also served as the University’s athletic director from 1974 to 1980
- Left his alma mater in 1981 to take over the program at Colorado, but was not able to achieve the same success
- Finished his coaching career with a ten-year stint as the head coach at Appalachian State, going 139-147 during that time
Tom Apke Coaching Tree
- Bob Hofman (Fort Lewis, Western State, Eastern Washington)
- Jay Humphries (Reno Bighorns, overseas)
- Kevin McKenna (Indiana State, Omaha)
- Buzz Peterson (UNC Wilmington, Coastal Carolina, Tennessee, Tulsa, Appalachian State)
