Van Chancellor
Encyclopedia
Van Chancellor is the former Louisiana State University women's basketball
coach. He was named head coach on April 11, 2007, replacing Pokey Chatman. In 2001, Van Chancellor was elected to the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
, located in Knoxville, Tennessee
. He was enshrined as a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in September 2007.
, before transferring to Mississippi State University
, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics & physical education in 1965.
During his senior year at Mississippi State, he served as head coach of the boy’s basketball team at Noxapater High School. Chancellor went on to coach boy’s and girl’s basketball at Horn Lake High School and Harrison Central High School in Mississippi. Chancellor received his master’s degree in physical education from the University of Mississippi
in 1973.
Lady Rebels, compiling an overall record of 439-154 (.740). As the Ole Miss
head coach, Chancellor guided the Lady Rebels to the NCAA Tournament
14 times, including 11 consecutive appearances from 1982 to 1992.
Chancellor’s teams won at least 20 games 15 times, including a school-record 31 wins in 1978-1979. He also led the Lady Rebels to top 20 final rankings 13 times, with top 10 finishes four times (#5 in 1992, #6 in 1985, #8 in 1987, and #10 in 1984).
Chancellor led Ole Miss to the Elite Eight at the NCAA Tournament
four times, while his teams made the Sweet 16 on three other occasions. Chancellor was named the Southeastern Conference
Coach of the Year three times, including the 1992 season when the Lady Rebels were 29-3 overall and claimed the SEC
regular season title with a perfect 11-0 mark. He was also named the 1992 National Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year by the Women’s Basketball News Service.
from 1997-2006. During that time, Chancellor was named the WNBA
Coach of the Year three times (1997, 1998, 1999) and he led the Comets
to the league’s first four titles (1997–2000). Under Chancellor, the Comets
were the only team in the WNBA
to make the playoffs in each of the first seven seasons of the league. His 1998 Houston Comets
team holds the record for highest winning percentage in the history of both the NBA
and WNBA
basketball (27-3, .900).
In 10 years with the Houston Comets
, Chancellors’ teams posted a 211-111 record (.655), making him the winningest coach in the history of the WNBA
. Chancellor coached the Western Conference All-Star Team three times during his career and was named the coach of the WNBA’s
All-Decade Team in June 2006.
During his time as head coach of the Comets
, Chancellor also served as a television analyst for women’s college basketball, working for both ESPN
and SEC-TV.
at the 2002 FIBA World Championships, and a gold medal
at the 2004 Summer Olympics.
LSU Lady Tigers basketball
The LSU Lady Tigers basketball team represents Louisiana State University in NCAA Division I women's college basketball. The team is currently coached by former UCLA head coach Nikki Caldwell, who accepted the job on April 2, 2011. Past coaches include Barbara Swanner, Jinks Coleman,...
coach. He was named head coach on April 11, 2007, replacing Pokey Chatman. In 2001, Van Chancellor was elected to the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
The Women's Basketball Hall of Fame honors men and women who have contributed to the sport of women's basketball. The Hall of Fame opened in 1999 in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA...
, located in Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
. He was enshrined as a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in September 2007.
Early years
Van Chancellor played two years of basketball at East Central Junior College in Decatur, MississippiDecatur, Mississippi
Decatur is a town in Newton County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,426 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Newton County...
, before transferring to Mississippi State University
Mississippi State University
The Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science commonly known as Mississippi State University is a land-grant university located in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, United States, partially in the town of Starkville and partially in an unincorporated area...
, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics & physical education in 1965.
During his senior year at Mississippi State, he served as head coach of the boy’s basketball team at Noxapater High School. Chancellor went on to coach boy’s and girl’s basketball at Horn Lake High School and Harrison Central High School in Mississippi. Chancellor received his master’s degree in physical education from the University of Mississippi
University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the...
in 1973.
University of Mississippi
Chancellor spent 19 seasons (1978–1997) as the head coach of the University of MississippiUniversity of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the...
Lady Rebels, compiling an overall record of 439-154 (.740). As the Ole Miss
University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the...
head coach, Chancellor guided the Lady Rebels to the NCAA Tournament
NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Women's Division I Championship is an annual college basketball tournament for women. Held each April, the Women's Championship was inaugurated in the 1981–82 season...
14 times, including 11 consecutive appearances from 1982 to 1992.
Chancellor’s teams won at least 20 games 15 times, including a school-record 31 wins in 1978-1979. He also led the Lady Rebels to top 20 final rankings 13 times, with top 10 finishes four times (#5 in 1992, #6 in 1985, #8 in 1987, and #10 in 1984).
Chancellor led Ole Miss to the Elite Eight at the NCAA Tournament
NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Women's Division I Championship is an annual college basketball tournament for women. Held each April, the Women's Championship was inaugurated in the 1981–82 season...
four times, while his teams made the Sweet 16 on three other occasions. Chancellor was named the Southeastern Conference
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...
Coach of the Year three times, including the 1992 season when the Lady Rebels were 29-3 overall and claimed 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...
regular season title with a perfect 11-0 mark. He was also named the 1992 National Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year by the Women’s Basketball News Service.
Houston Comets
Chancellor served for 10 years as head coach of the Houston CometsHouston Comets
The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the best original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. The Comets were the first dynasty of the WNBA and...
from 1997-2006. During that time, Chancellor was named the WNBA
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
Coach of the Year three times (1997, 1998, 1999) and he led the Comets
Houston Comets
The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the best original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. The Comets were the first dynasty of the WNBA and...
to the league’s first four titles (1997–2000). Under Chancellor, the Comets
Houston Comets
The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the best original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. The Comets were the first dynasty of the WNBA and...
were the only team in the WNBA
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
to make the playoffs in each of the first seven seasons of the league. His 1998 Houston Comets
Houston Comets
The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the best original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. The Comets were the first dynasty of the WNBA and...
team holds the record for highest winning percentage in the history of both the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
and WNBA
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
basketball (27-3, .900).
In 10 years with the Houston Comets
Houston Comets
The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the best original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. The Comets were the first dynasty of the WNBA and...
, Chancellors’ teams posted a 211-111 record (.655), making him the winningest coach in the history of the WNBA
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
. Chancellor coached the Western Conference All-Star Team three times during his career and was named the coach of the WNBA’s
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
All-Decade Team in June 2006.
During his time as head coach of the Comets
Houston Comets
The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the best original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. The Comets were the first dynasty of the WNBA and...
, Chancellor also served as a television analyst for women’s college basketball, working for both ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
and SEC-TV.
USA Basketball
Chancellor has recorded an unblemished 38-0 record in international competition as head coach of the United States National Team. His teams won first place at the 2002 Opals World Challenge, a gold medalGold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
at the 2002 FIBA World Championships, and a gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
at the 2004 Summer Olympics.
LSU Lady Tigers
In his first year as head coach at LSU, Chancellor led the Lady Tigers to an SEC championship game and to the Final Four. Chancellor was also named 2008 SEC Coach of the Year. Chancellor resigned as being head coach on March 16, 2011. He will spend the rest of his contract as an Assistant to Athletic Director Joe Alleva. Chancellor spent four seasons at LSU.Ole Miss Lady Rebels
| Year | Record | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1978–1979 | 31-9 | AIAW State Tournament Champions |
| 1979–1980 | 23-14 | |
| 1980–1981 | 14-12 | |
| 1981–1982 | 27-5 | NCAA First Round |
| 1982–1983 | 26-6 | NCAA Second Round |
| 1983–1984 | 24-6 | NCAA Second Round |
| 1984–1985 | 29-3 | NCAA Elite Eight |
| 1985–1986 | 24-8 | NCAA Elite Eight |
| 1986–1987 | 25-5 | NCAA Sweet Sixteen |
| 1987–1988 | 24-7 | NCAA Sweet Sixteen |
| 1988–1989 | 23-8 | NCAA Elite Eight |
| 1989–1990 | 22-10 | NCAA Sweet Sixteen |
| 1990–1991 | 20-9 | NCAA First Round |
| 1991–1992 | 29-3 | NCAA Elite Eight |
| 1992–1993 | 19-10 | |
| 1993–1994 | 24-9 | NCAA Second Round |
| 1994–1995 | 21-8 | NCAA First Round |
| 1995–1996 | 18-11 | NCAA First Round |
| 1996–1997 | 16-11 |
Houston Comets
| Year | Record | Playoff Record | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 18-10 | 2-0 | WNBA Champions |
| 1998 | 27-3 | 4-1 | WNBA Champions |
| 1999 | 26-6 | 4-2 | WNBA Champions |
| 2000 | 27-5 | 6-0 | WNBA Champions |
| 2001 | 19-13 | 0-2 | |
| 2002 | 24-8 | 1-2 | |
| 2003 | 20-14 | 1-2 | |
| 2004 | 13-21 | - | |
| 2005 | 19-15 | 2-3 | |
| 2006 | 18-16 | 0-2 |
USA Basketball
| Year | Team | Event | Record | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | U.S. National Team | WBCA Women's Basketball Coaches Association The Women's Basketball Coaches Association is an association of coaches of women's basketball teams at all levels.The organization was formed in 1981, with the goal of addressing the needs of women's basketball coaches.The mission of the WBCA is:... All Star Challenge |
1-0 | - |
| 2002 | U.S. National Team | Opals World Challenge | 4-0 | 1st Place |
| 2002 | U.S. National Team | FIBA World Championships | 9-0 | Gold Medal |
| 2004 | U.S. National Team | Pre-Olympics Exhibition Games | 16-0 | - |
| 2004 | U.S. National Team | Olympics Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics - Women's basketball -Medalists:-Pool Play: Group A:-Pool Play: Group B:-9th to 12th place classification:-5th to 8th place classification:-Quarter-finals:-Semi finals:-Bronze Medal Match:-Final:-Final ranking:# United States of America# Australia... |
8-0 | Gold Medal |
LSU Lady Tigers
| Year | Team | Record | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007–2008 | LSU | 31-6 (14-0 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... ) |
SEC Regular Season Champions 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... ; SEC Tournament Runner-Up 2008 SEC Women's Basketball Tournament The 2008 SEC Women's Basketball Tournament was held on March 6-9, 2008 in Nashville, TN at the Sommet Center.Tennessee won the tournament and received the SEC's automatic bid to the 2008 NCAA Tournament.-Tournament:... ; NCAA Final Four 2008 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament The 2008 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 teams playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the 2007–08 national champion of women's NCAA Division I college basketball. It commenced on March 22, 2008, and concluded when the University of Tennessee Lady... |
| 2008–2009 | LSU | 19-11 (10-4 SEC) | SEC Tournament Semifinals 2009 SEC Women's Basketball Tournament Asterisk denotes game ended in overtime.... ; NCAA Second Round 2009 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament The regionals, held in the city rather than the geographic area as a practice that has been used since 2005, were held there from March 28 to 31 at these sites:... |
| 2009–2010 | LSU | 21-10 (9-7 SEC) | SEC Tournament Quarterfinals; NCAA Second Round 2010 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament The 2010 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament started Saturday, March 20, 2010 and was completed on Tuesday, April 6 of the same year with University of Connecticut Huskies defending their title from the previous year by defeating Stanford, 53-47. The tournament bids were announced on... |
| 2010-2011 | LSU | 20-14 (8-8 SEC) | SEC Tournament Quarterfinals; did not make NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament |