Gary Blair
Encyclopedia
Gary Claude Blair is the head coach
of the Texas A&M Aggies women's basketball
team. In his 26 years as a collegiate head coach, Blair has only suffered one losing season, and has reached postseason play 22 times, including 17 NCAA Tournament appearances, including 2 Final Four appearances in 1998 and 2011. He led the Aggies to the NCAA national championship in 2011. He is listed in the top 35 of the all-time winningest active NCAA Division 1 women's basketball coaches, and is one of the few coaches to guide three different schools to national rankings and NCAA Tournament berths.
neighborhood of Dallas
. He grew up playing baseball, and as a 128-pound center fielder
at Bryan Adams High School
, he received all-city honors in 1963. Following his high school graduation in 1963, he enrolled at Texas Tech University
, where he failed out of architecture, and moved to California to become a restaurant manager. He got a U.S. Army draft notice in 1969, and decided to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps, completing a four-year tour of duty. He was stationed in Okinawa during his duty. After his tour, he lived in the Los Angeles
area, running a restaurant in Costa Mesa and Culver City. At age 27, he used his G.I. Bill to earn a bachelor's degree in health and physical education with a minor in journalism from Texas Tech. He also played a year of baseball for the Red Raiders
—he was a defensive center fielder
with self-described poor hitting skills. He earned his master's degree in education from the school in 1974.
When head women's basketball coach Marsha Sharp
retired from Texas Tech in 2006, Blair got calls from his friends to take over the position. Blair stated, "It wasn’t the right fit or the right time. Timing is everything in coaching."
, but he was offered the physical education
coach gig at South Oak Cliff High School
in Dallas, a predominantly African American
school. South Oak Cliff had just started its women's basketball program, and Blair became the team's first coach in 1973. He was initially the boy's P.E. teacher, while waiting for an offer to coach the baseball team, but when asked to coach the girls' team, he accepted. He also started the boys and girls golf team, and served as its first coach as well. He made $7,000 annually coaching all of these sports.
In his seven seasons at South Oak Cliff, he set a state record with five consecutive state tournament appearances and a 239-18 record. His teams won three state Class 4A championships, in 1977, 1978, and 1980, and finished as the runner-up in 1979 by only two points. For his efforts, Blair was inducted into the Texas High School Basketball Hall of Fame. At South Oak Cliff, Blair coached Debra and Kim Rodman, Dennis Rodman
's sisters. Blair used to play ping pong with Dennis.After winning the first state championship, he was offered the head baseball job he had been waiting for, but he turned it down to remain coaching the women's teams.
In October 1980, Blair was offered an assistant coaching job at Louisiana Tech by then-head coach Sonja Hogg
. At the time of the offer, Blair was making an annual salary of $22,000. The Louisiana Tech position paid $22,500 and also provided a six-year old brown station wagon. Blair initially rejected the offer, but upon his wife's encouragement, he accepted it. He would coach under Leon Barmore
, who replaced Hogg. During his five seasons there, Louisiana Tech reached the Final Four in the NCAA Tournament four times, winning three national championships.
. In his eight years with the school, he compiled a 210-43 record, including 25 wins in just his second season as a head coach. His teams won seven straight conference championships, and appeared in the NCAA Tournament six times. During his last six seasons, his teams were consistently ranked in the final AP Top 25 polls. The team's success was noticed by their fans, who increased home attendance enough to allow the school to rank in the top 12 of NCAA Division 1 attendance leaders.
It was during his time at SFA that Blair met his future assistant coach Vic Schaefer, who was coaching the Sam Houston State Bearkats
at the time.
Blair was inducted into the Ladyjack Hall of Fame during halftime of the Ladyjacks game against the Aggies on December 2, 2008.
, Blair compiled a 198-120 record. During his first season, the Lady Razorbacks won 15 of their 29 games, their first winning season in several years. The following year his team, which consisted of 9 freshmen and sophomores, won 23 games and reached the second round of the NCAA tournament.
In the summer of 1996, while his Arkansas team was in their offseason, Blair spent several months in Taiwan
as the assistant coach of the U.S. Jones Cup
team, which won the gold medal and became the first U.S. team to be undefeated at the Jones Cup tournament. Every one of the players he helped coach during that tournament later went on to play in the WNBA.
Blair made history with his 1997-1998 team. The team, unranked in the national polls, received a number 9 seed for the NCAA Tournament and reached the NCAA Final Four, an unprecedented occurrence. His teams reached the semifinals in the SEC
tournament in both 2001 and 2002.
In his final season with the Lady Razorbacks, the team finished the season ranked 24th nationally and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
. For the first time in his career, however, one of Blair's team suffered a losing season.
The following year the Aggies improved, earning a postseason invitation for the first time since 1996.
In his third season with the Aggies, Blair guided his team to their first Associated Press Top 25 ranking in ten years. The team won 23 games (losing 9), the third-most victories in school history and a tie for the most victories in conference play ever (11 wins, 5 losses in conference). The team finished third in the Big 12, and reached the semifinals in the Big 12 Women's Championship Tournament. With a Number 6 seed to the NCAA Tournament (A&M's first such invitation since 1996), Blair became only the fourth coach in NCAA history to take three different schools to the NCAA Tournament, although this became his only appearance where his team lost in the first round.
Following their successful season, Blair was named the Women's Basketball News Service National Coach of the Year.
Overall, in his first three years as the head coach of the Aggies, A&M home attendance increased 156%, with a school-record 11,088 fans watching the team play Baylor University
.
In the 2006-2007 season, Blair's Aggies again scored over 20 wins and reached the NCAA Tournament, this time as the fourth seed, and advanced to the second round of the tournament. This marked the first time in Aggie history that the women's basketball team had earned consecutive NCAA tournament berths.
On February 20, 2008, Blair posted his 500th career win as a head coach at Reed Arena
against the Iowa State Cyclones
.
In the 2007–08 season, Blair led his squad to a school-first NCAA Elite Eight appearance and a 29–8 overall record. The team also won the 2008 Big 12 conference tournament
title. In the NCAA tournament, the team lost to eventual national champion Tennessee. After the season, the Texas A&M Board of Regents approved a one-year contract extension through 2012, and a $150,000 salary raise to $800,000 annually.
On March 29, 2011, Gary Blair led the program to its first ever Final Four appearance by defeating top-seeded Baylor 58-46. On April 3, 2011, the Aggies defeated top-seeded Stanford 63–62 to advance to the national title game. On April 5, 2011, the Aggies defeated Notre Dame 76-70 in the championship game to win the tournament for the first time in school history. Blair, 65, also became the oldest women's coach to win.
Much of his recruiting is done in-state, and Blair says that he recruits students for their offensive showing and then teaches them to play defense later.
' Eleanor Mann School of Nursing
. As the couple live in two different cities, they take turns visiting each other. The two met when Blair was coaching at South Oak Cliff High School
. The couple has two children named Paige and Matt, as well as a grandson named Logan.
Blair is also actively involved with the community. He has been a member of Rotary International
for more than 20 years. He has also held his "Celebrity Golf Classic" to benefit Special Olympics
for over 15 years; recently, the program has raised over $100,000 annually.
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
of the Texas A&M Aggies women's basketball
Texas A&M Aggies women's basketball
The Texas A&M Aggies women's basketball team represents Texas A&M University in NCAA Division I women's basketball. The team has been coached by Gary Blair since 2003. The Aggies play home games at Reed Arena, a 12,500-capacity arena in College Station, Texas on the campus of Texas A&M.The Aggies...
team. In his 26 years as a collegiate head coach, Blair has only suffered one losing season, and has reached postseason play 22 times, including 17 NCAA Tournament appearances, including 2 Final Four appearances in 1998 and 2011. He led the Aggies to the NCAA national championship in 2011. He is listed in the top 35 of the all-time winningest active NCAA Division 1 women's basketball coaches, and is one of the few coaches to guide three different schools to national rankings and NCAA Tournament berths.
Early life
Gary Blair is the son of Lee, a plaster foreman, and Jean, a housewife. He was raised in the Forest HillsForest Hills, Dallas, Texas
Forest Hills is a neighborhood in east Dallas, Texas . It is located near White Rock Lake.- Boundaries :Forest Hills is a neighborhood surrounding Forest Hills Boulevard. It lies directly south of White Rock Lake with many grand homes fronting Garland Road...
neighborhood of Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
. He grew up playing baseball, and as a 128-pound center fielder
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
at Bryan Adams High School
Bryan Adams High School
For schools with similar names, see Adams High School.Bryan Adams High School is a public secondary school located at 2101 Millmar Drive in the Casa View neighborhood of East Dallas, Texas ....
, he received all-city honors in 1963. Following his high school graduation in 1963, he enrolled at Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University, often referred to as Texas Tech or TTU, is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and originally known as Texas Technological College, it is the leading institution of the Texas Tech University System and has the...
, where he failed out of architecture, and moved to California to become a restaurant manager. He got a U.S. Army draft notice in 1969, and decided to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps, completing a four-year tour of duty. He was stationed in Okinawa during his duty. After his tour, he lived in the Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
area, running a restaurant in Costa Mesa and Culver City. At age 27, he used his G.I. Bill to earn a bachelor's degree in health and physical education with a minor in journalism from Texas Tech. He also played a year of baseball for the Red Raiders
Texas Tech Red Raiders baseball
The Texas Tech Red Raiders baseball team represents Texas Tech University in NCAA Division I college baseball. The team competes in the Big 12 Conference and plays at Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park.-Early years:...
—he was a defensive center fielder
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
with self-described poor hitting skills. He earned his master's degree in education from the school in 1974.
When head women's basketball coach Marsha Sharp
Marsha Sharp
Marsha Sharp is the former head coach of Texas Tech University's women's basketball team, the Lady Raiders. She retired after twenty-three years at the conclusion of the 2005/06 season....
retired from Texas Tech in 2006, Blair got calls from his friends to take over the position. Blair stated, "It wasn’t the right fit or the right time. Timing is everything in coaching."
Early coaching career
After his graduation from Texas Tech, Blair hoped to find a high school baseball coaching job in LubbockLubbock, Texas
Lubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...
, but he was offered the physical education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
coach gig at South Oak Cliff High School
South Oak Cliff High School
South Oak Cliff High School is a public secondary school located in the Oak Cliff area of Dallas, Texas...
in Dallas, a predominantly African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
school. South Oak Cliff had just started its women's basketball program, and Blair became the team's first coach in 1973. He was initially the boy's P.E. teacher, while waiting for an offer to coach the baseball team, but when asked to coach the girls' team, he accepted. He also started the boys and girls golf team, and served as its first coach as well. He made $7,000 annually coaching all of these sports.
In his seven seasons at South Oak Cliff, he set a state record with five consecutive state tournament appearances and a 239-18 record. His teams won three state Class 4A championships, in 1977, 1978, and 1980, and finished as the runner-up in 1979 by only two points. For his efforts, Blair was inducted into the Texas High School Basketball Hall of Fame. At South Oak Cliff, Blair coached Debra and Kim Rodman, Dennis Rodman
Dennis Rodman
Dennis Keith Rodman is a retired American Hall of Fame professional basketball player of the National Basketball Association's Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks. Born in Trenton, New Jersey, he was nicknamed "Dennis the Menace" and "The...
's sisters. Blair used to play ping pong with Dennis.After winning the first state championship, he was offered the head baseball job he had been waiting for, but he turned it down to remain coaching the women's teams.
In October 1980, Blair was offered an assistant coaching job at Louisiana Tech by then-head coach Sonja Hogg
Sonja Hogg
Sonja Hogg is the former head woman's basketball coach at Louisiana Tech University and at Baylor University.Hogg was a physical education teacher at Ruston High School when she interviewed at Louisiana Tech for a position in its P.E. department. School president Dr. F. Jay Taylor remarked that...
. At the time of the offer, Blair was making an annual salary of $22,000. The Louisiana Tech position paid $22,500 and also provided a six-year old brown station wagon. Blair initially rejected the offer, but upon his wife's encouragement, he accepted it. He would coach under Leon Barmore
Leon Barmore
Leon Barmore is a college women's basketball coach. He coached at Louisiana Tech University from 1982 to 2002, serving the first three years as co-head coach with Sonja Hogg, who had begun the program in 1974 at the invitation of university president F. Jay Taylor...
, who replaced Hogg. During his five seasons there, Louisiana Tech reached the Final Four in the NCAA Tournament four times, winning three national championships.
Stephen F. Austin (1985–1993)
Blair's first head coaching experience at the collegiate level came at Stephen F. Austin University in Nacogdoches, TexasNacogdoches, Texas
Nacogdoches is a city in Nacogdoches County, Texas, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the city's population to be 32,996. It is the county seat of Nacogdoches County and is situated in East Texas. Nacogdoches is a sister city of Natchitoches, Louisiana.Nacogdoches is the home of...
. In his eight years with the school, he compiled a 210-43 record, including 25 wins in just his second season as a head coach. His teams won seven straight conference championships, and appeared in the NCAA Tournament six times. During his last six seasons, his teams were consistently ranked in the final AP Top 25 polls. The team's success was noticed by their fans, who increased home attendance enough to allow the school to rank in the top 12 of NCAA Division 1 attendance leaders.
It was during his time at SFA that Blair met his future assistant coach Vic Schaefer, who was coaching the Sam Houston State Bearkats
Sam Houston State Bearkats
The Bearkats represent Sam Houston State University in intercollegiate athletics.Sam Houston State's colors are orange and white and their mascot is the Bearkats. Sam Houston State sports teams participate in NCAA Division I in the Southland Conference. SHSU's primary rival is Stephen F...
at the time.
Blair was inducted into the Ladyjack Hall of Fame during halftime of the Ladyjacks game against the Aggies on December 2, 2008.
Arkansas (1993–2003)
As the head coach of the women's basketball team at ArkansasUniversity of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
, Blair compiled a 198-120 record. During his first season, the Lady Razorbacks won 15 of their 29 games, their first winning season in several years. The following year his team, which consisted of 9 freshmen and sophomores, won 23 games and reached the second round of the NCAA tournament.
In the summer of 1996, while his Arkansas team was in their offseason, Blair spent several months in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
as the assistant coach of the U.S. Jones Cup
William Jones Cup
The R. William Jones Cup is an international basketball tournament held annually in Taipei, Taiwan. It was named after Renato William Jones, a basketball promoter and one of the founders of the International Basketball Federation .The Jones Cup tournament started in 1977 and is held annually...
team, which won the gold medal and became the first U.S. team to be undefeated at the Jones Cup tournament. Every one of the players he helped coach during that tournament later went on to play in the WNBA.
Blair made history with his 1997-1998 team. The team, unranked in the national polls, received a number 9 seed for the NCAA Tournament and reached the NCAA Final Four, an unprecedented occurrence. His teams reached the semifinals in the SEC
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
tournament in both 2001 and 2002.
In his final season with the Lady Razorbacks, the team finished the season ranked 24th nationally and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Texas A&M (2003–present)
Blair came to Texas A&M in 2003, taking over the Big 12 Conference's worst team, which had not had a winning season in seven years. In his first season with Texas A&M, Blair worked very hard to attract fans to the women's basketball games, and by the end of the season attendance had increased 71 percent over the previous year, the best increase in the Big 12 ConferenceBig 12 Conference
The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...
. For the first time in his career, however, one of Blair's team suffered a losing season.
The following year the Aggies improved, earning a postseason invitation for the first time since 1996.
In his third season with the Aggies, Blair guided his team to their first Associated Press Top 25 ranking in ten years. The team won 23 games (losing 9), the third-most victories in school history and a tie for the most victories in conference play ever (11 wins, 5 losses in conference). The team finished third in the Big 12, and reached the semifinals in the Big 12 Women's Championship Tournament. With a Number 6 seed to the NCAA Tournament (A&M's first such invitation since 1996), Blair became only the fourth coach in NCAA history to take three different schools to the NCAA Tournament, although this became his only appearance where his team lost in the first round.
Following their successful season, Blair was named the Women's Basketball News Service National Coach of the Year.
Overall, in his first three years as the head coach of the Aggies, A&M home attendance increased 156%, with a school-record 11,088 fans watching the team play Baylor University
Baylor University
Baylor University is a private, Christian university located in Waco, Texas. Founded in 1845, Baylor is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.-History:...
.
In the 2006-2007 season, Blair's Aggies again scored over 20 wins and reached the NCAA Tournament, this time as the fourth seed, and advanced to the second round of the tournament. This marked the first time in Aggie history that the women's basketball team had earned consecutive NCAA tournament berths.
On February 20, 2008, Blair posted his 500th career win as a head coach at Reed Arena
Reed Arena
Reed Arena is a sports arena and entertainment venue located at the corner of Olsen Boulevard and Kimbrough Boulevard in College Station, Texas. This facility is used for Texas A&M University basketball games and commencement ceremonies, concerts, trade shows, family entertainment, and Texas A&M...
against the Iowa State Cyclones
Iowa State Cyclones
The Iowa State Cyclones are the athletic teams of Iowa State University. The university is a member of the Big 12 Conference and competes in NCAA Division I, fielding 16 varsity teams in 12 sports.*Men's sports...
.
In the 2007–08 season, Blair led his squad to a school-first NCAA Elite Eight appearance and a 29–8 overall record. The team also won the 2008 Big 12 conference tournament
Big 12 Women's Basketball Tournament
The Big 12 Women's Basketball Tournament is the championship women's basketball tournament in the Big 12 Conference. It is a single-elimination tournament of four rounds, with the top four seeds getting byes in the first round. Seeding is based on regular season records...
title. In the NCAA tournament, the team lost to eventual national champion Tennessee. After the season, the Texas A&M Board of Regents approved a one-year contract extension through 2012, and a $150,000 salary raise to $800,000 annually.
On March 29, 2011, Gary Blair led the program to its first ever Final Four appearance by defeating top-seeded Baylor 58-46. On April 3, 2011, the Aggies defeated top-seeded Stanford 63–62 to advance to the national title game. On April 5, 2011, the Aggies defeated Notre Dame 76-70 in the championship game to win the tournament for the first time in school history. Blair, 65, also became the oldest women's coach to win.
Coaching honors
Blair has received the following honors over his coaching career:- 2009 Southland ConferenceSouthland ConferenceThe Southland Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the south central United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I for all sports; for football, it participates in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision...
Hall of Honor inductee - 2008 Stephen F. Austin State UniversityStephen F. Austin State UniversityStephen F. Austin State University is a public university located in Nacogdoches, Texas, United States. Founded as a teachers' college in 1923, the university was named after one of Texas' founding fathers, Stephen F. Austin. Its campus resides on part of the homestead of another Texas founding...
Ladyjack Hall of Fame inductee - 2007 Big 12 ConferenceBig 12 ConferenceThe Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...
Coach of the Year - 2007 Naismith College Coach of the YearNaismith College Coach of the YearNaismith College Coach of the Year Award is an award given by the Atlanta Tipoff Club to one men's and one women's NCAA Division I collegiate coach each season since 1987...
finalist - 2007 Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Coach of the Year
- 2006 Women's Basketball News Service National Coach of the Year
- 2003 Naismith Coach of the Year Finalist
- 2002 Texas High School Basketball Hall of Famer
- 1996 U.S. Jones Cup Team Assistant Coach
- 1995 Basketball TimesBasketball TimesBasketball Times is an American basketball magazine that has been in circulation since 1978, and is published by The Hoop Group LLC. Basketball Times publishes monthly and mainly focuses on college basketball and basketball recruiting.- History :...
National Coach of the Year - 1995 Women's Basketball News Service National Coach of the Year
- Five-time Southland ConferenceSouthland ConferenceThe Southland Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the south central United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I for all sports; for football, it participates in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision...
Coach of the Year (1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993) - Five-time District VI Converse Coach of the Year
Coaching style
He stresses offensive rebounding and defense to his teams, and his 2007 Texas A&M team ranked among the nation's best in scoring defense, blocked shots, and steals.Much of his recruiting is done in-state, and Blair says that he recruits students for their offensive showing and then teaches them to play defense later.
Family and personal
Blair is married to Dr. Nan Smith-Blair, an associate professor and the director of the University of ArkansasUniversity of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
' Eleanor Mann School of Nursing
Eleanor Mann School of Nursing
The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing at the University of Arkansas offers both graduate and undergraduate nursing programs. Over the past years from 2008, 100% of graduates found employment after degree completion.-Degrees:...
. As the couple live in two different cities, they take turns visiting each other. The two met when Blair was coaching at South Oak Cliff High School
South Oak Cliff High School
South Oak Cliff High School is a public secondary school located in the Oak Cliff area of Dallas, Texas...
. The couple has two children named Paige and Matt, as well as a grandson named Logan.
Blair is also actively involved with the community. He has been a member of Rotary International
Rotary International
Rotary International is an organization of service clubs known as Rotary Clubs located all over the world. The stated purpose of the organization is to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help...
for more than 20 years. He has also held his "Celebrity Golf Classic" to benefit Special Olympics
Special Olympics
Special Olympics is the world's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, providing year-round training and competitions to more than 3.1 million athletes in 175 countries....
for over 15 years; recently, the program has raised over $100,000 annually.