Don Monson
University of Idaho & Oregon Head Coach – 1982 NCAA Division 1 Coach of the Year

Once again Gonzaga University along with Northwest Sports & Entertainment, Inc. will use the Comcast Battle in Seattle weekend to honor someone whom has demonstrated a life long contribution to basketball in the Pacific Northwest. The 2004 honoree will be former University of Idaho and Oregon head coach Don Monson. Coach Monson will be honored at a reception hosted by Baden Sports Friday December 3rd, Baden, whom like coach Monson has PASSION FOR A BETTER GAME™.

With an intense personality, Don Monson, would not let his teams play poorly. If they did, he’d yell, pull his hair out and go through all kinds of fits and contortions. He was as often entertaining to watch as the teams he coached. But when all was said and done, teams under coach Monson knew how to play the game of basketball!

In the late 1970’s newly appointed Idaho athletic director Bill Belknap first priority was to hire a basketball coach. This was following back to back years that saw the University win 5 games in 77’ and only 4 in 78’. Belknap disregarded the list of finalist put forth by the search committee, and pursued former Idaho graduate (1955) Don Monson. Don came to Idaho from Michigan State where he served under Jud Heathcote. Monson was given credit to recruiting Earvin “Magic” Johnson, who would lead the Spartans to the national title in 1979. When Don Monson arrived back in Moscow in 1978, the Idaho Vandals seemed about as far removed from the nation’s elite as they could possibly be. This, however, is something that would soon change.

The dramatic nature of Idaho’s basketball turnaround became apparent quickly when Idaho won an amazing 17 games in Monson’s second season (1979-1980). The following season saw the Vandals win their first 10 games, which included victories over Nebraska, Washington State, and of course Gonzaga. Idaho went on the post a 12-2 Big Sky conference record and then proceeded to win the post-season tournament, earning a bid to the NCAA tournament. The season ended in a heartbreaking loss to Pittsburg 70-69, but with a record of 25-4 the Vandals broke into the top 20 rankings. Don Monson warned Idaho’s fans not to expect another year like the one that they had just witnessed to happen again, but he was wrong.

Idaho started out the 1981-1982 basketball season by going 16-0. Early in December, the Vandals throttled the Washington Huskies in Seattle by the score of 86-61. A few days later, Idaho came back to the Palouse to defeat a strong George Raveling led Washington State squad in Pullman by the score of 68-48. National notice however didn’t come until the prestigious Far West Classic in Portland just after Christmas. Idaho defeated Iowa State, then 15th ranked Oregon State, and finally dumped Oregon to win the title. Overall Idaho was 4-0 against the PAC-10 with an amazing average victory margin of 21.5 points. The following week Idaho entered the national polls, getting ranked 18th by the AP and 13th by UPI.

After Idaho rose to the 8th in both polls Sports Illustrated jinxed the team by writing a great story, but causing the first loss of the season to Mike Montgomery’s Montana team 53-51 on a tip in at the buzzer. Idaho would recover from the loss to eventually rise to the highest ranking ever at #6 in both polls. After another win in the Big Sky Conference the Vandals secured their second straight trip to the NCAA tournament.

After a 1st round opening bye, Idaho was set to play the 16th ranked Iowa Hawkeye’s, in friendly surroundings at Friel court on the campus of Washington State. On March 14th, 1982, a game for Northwest ages took place in front of 12,350 fans. Idaho took an early lead but Iowa fought back and tied the score at 57-57 at the end of regulation. In overtime the Vandals and Hawkeye’s went back and forth. With a tie game at 67 and the clock winding down, Brian Kellerman took a shot with three seconds left. It bounced three times on the rim and fell through the hoop as the buzzer sounded to the roar of the crowd. The Idaho Vandals had made it to the Sweet 16.

The season ended for Idaho against Ralph Miller’s #4 Oregon State Beavers in Provo, UT 60-42. However coach Monson lead Idaho to a 27-3 record the best in the history of Idaho basketball. The season also earned coach Monson NCAA Division 1 coach of the year, an award voted on by his coaching peers.

Don would go on to coach one more season at Idaho reaching the NIT in 1983. he also won an amazing 100 games in five years, and lead the Vandals to 43 straight home victories during that tenure.

The following season Coach Monson took over the University of Oregon program and marched the sidelines in Eugene for nine seasons. During that time he recorded 116 wins, two trips to the National Invitational Tournament, and coached future NBA players Anthony Taylor, Blair Rasmussen, and Terrell Brandon.

For these accomplishments Coach Monson will be honored at a special evening reception on Friday December 3rd at the Red Lion on 5th Avenue at 6:30pm hosted by Baden, and at halftime of the Gonzaga-UMASS game the following day. A limited number of tickets for this reception are available for $20 and can be purchased by calling 480-635-8720.