Bob Vanatta

Bob Vanatta

Bob Vanatta from The Savitar, 1963
Biographical details
Born	(1918-07-07)July 7, 1918 Columbia, Missouri, U.S.
Died	October 22, 2016(2016-10-22) (aged 98) Jupiter, Florida, U.S.
Playing career
1943–1945	Central (MO)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1947–1950	Central (MO)
1950–1953	SW Missouri State
1953–1954	Army
1954–1956	Bradley
1956–1962	Memphis State
1962–1967	Missouri
1972–1973	Delta State
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1956	Bradley
1973–1976	Oral Roberts
1976–1979	Ohio Valley Conference (comm.)
1979–1983	Trans America Athletic Conference (comm.)
1983–1986	Louisiana Tech
1986–1994	Sunshine State Conference (comm.)
1997–1999	Florida Atlantic (assoc. AD)
Head coaching record
Overall	333–200
Tournaments	2–2 (NCAA)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
2× NAIA champion (1952, 1953)

Bob Vanatta (July 7, 1918 – October 22, 2016) was an American basketball coach and college athletics administrator. He was the head basketball coach for Central Methodist, Missouri State University, Army, Bradley, Memphis State, Missouri, and Delta State University. At Missouri State, he won the 1952 and 1953 NAIA Championships. He compiled a 109–34 record at Memphis State, including making it to the 1957 NIT Championship game. After coaching, he later served as athletic director at Oral Roberts University, commissioner of the Ohio Valley Conference, commissioner of the Atlantic Sun Conference, executive director of the Independence Bowl, athletic director at Louisiana Tech University, commissioner of the Sunshine State Conference, president of the NCAA Division II Conference Commissioner's Association, and associate athletic director at Florida Atlantic University. He was a Palm Beach County Sports Commission member, which presents the Lou Groza Award to the nation's top placekicker.

Vanatta died October 22, 2016, aged 98, in Melbourne, Florida.

Head coaching record

Statistics overview

Season	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Postseason
Central Eagles (Independent) (1947–1950)
Central:		61–20 (.753)
Southwest Missouri State Bears (Mid–America Intercollegiate Athletics Association) (1950–1953)
1950–51	Southwest Missouri State	22–3	7–3	2nd
1951–52	Southwest Missouri State	27–5	10–0	1st	NAIA Champions
1952–53	Southwest Missouri State	24–4	8–2	1st	NAIA Champions
Southwest Missouri State:		73–12 (.857)	25–5 (.833)
Army Cadets (Independent) (1953–1954)
1953–54	Army	15–7
Army:		15–7 (.682)
Bradley Braves (Independent) (1954–1955)
1954–55	Bradley	9–20			NCAA Elite Eight
Bradley Braves (Missouri Valley Conference) (1955–1956)
1955–56	Bradley	13–13
Bradley:		22–33 (.400)
Memphis State Tigers (Independent) (1956–1962)
1956–57	Memphis State	24–6			NIT Finals
1957–58	Memphis State	15–7
1958–59	Memphis State	17–6
1959–60	Memphis State	18–5			NIT First Round
1960–61	Memphis State	20–3			NIT Quarterfinals
1961–62	Memphis State	15–7			NCAA first round
Memphis State:		109–34 (.762)
Missouri Tigers (Big Eight Conference) (1962–1967)
1962–63	Missouri	10–15	5–9	T–6th
1963–64	Missouri	13–11	7–7	T–4th
1964–65	Missouri	13–11	8–6	T–3rd
1965–66	Missouri	3–21	1–13	8th
1966–67	Missouri	3–22	1–13	8th
Missouri:		42–80 (.344)	22–48 (.314)
Delta State Statesmen (Gulf States Conference) (1972–1973)
1972–73	Delta State	11–14	4–10
Delta State:		11–14 (.440)	4–10 (.286)
Total:		333–200 (.625)
National champion         Postseason invitational champion         Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion       Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion       Conference tournament champion