Henry Dickerson
UTC Chancellor Bill Stacy
announced Wednesday that Henry Dickerson, head men's basketball coach, will no longer serve the campus in that capacity.
Stacy and Dickerson met to review last season's progress in meeting the
goals and objectives established for 2001-2002 and approved by the
Executive Committee of the university's Athletic Board.
Among their observations were that Dickerson's team won the Southern Division in the Southern Conference and led the league in attendance. The Mocs finished with a 16 and 14 record in the fifth year of his head coaching tenure at the university.
However, distractions of student conduct off the basketball court hampered the team. Attendance dropped for the third year in a row. For the fifth season, the Mocs saw no tournament championship or post-season NCAA or NIT participation.
Stacy said the decision was mutual adding that it is "simply time for a change."
Dickerson has been asked to continue to serve the university, reassigned in university student services, recruitment and/or intramural activities.
Dickerson said, "I want to thank Dr. Stacy and the university for the opportunity to coach
at UTC. That is all you can ask. I was proud of our accomplishments and am proud of our staff. I think we
accomplished quite a bit here.
"If you are in coaching, this is likely to happen to you sooner or later. Life goes on."
Stacy indicated that vacant positions in those staff areas are customary and that Dickerson would provide excellent student support.
Stacy expressed appreciation to Coach Dickerson "for his strong loyalty to UTC and for the strong ethics and integrity that he maintained throughout his tenure in coaching."
Stacy saluted Dickerson as "the kind of man to whom he would entrust his own son."
"It is difficult to see the Dickerson era conclude, but UTC can always be proud of the leadership brought to the university by a first class gentlemen," Stacy said.
Stacy "expressed high satisfaction that the teaching, advising, and counseling of more UTC students by Dickerson will now be possible as he is reassigned to student services."
Stacy said, "It is now time for the university to begin a new era in filling the McKenzie Arena with basketball that not only compliments the mission of UTC but brings an opportunity for a new head coach to create the best in collegiate basketball. A search process to select a new head coach will
begin shortly.
The Executive Committee of the Athletics Board is now searching for a new Athletics Director. The timing of the basketball search will allow the newly chosen Athletic Director "last say" in the
choice of a new head coach, Stacy said.
The university has named Kenny Siefert as its Interim Head Coach to handle all basketball operations, player relationships, contractual matters, etc. until the new Head Coach is in place.
All existing university scholarship
contracts with students will continue to be honored. Stacy said that Coach Siefert's previous head coaching experience "will serve UTC well in the interim."
COACH HENRY DICKERSON YEAR-BY-YEAR
Named UTC head coach Aug. 6, 1997
1997-98 13-15, 7-7 SoCon (1st South Division)
1998-99 16-12, 9-7 SoCon (2nd South Division)
1999-2000 10-19, 6-10 SoCon (4th South Division)
2000-01 17-13, 9-7 SoCon (2nd South Division)
2001-02 16-14, 9-7 SoCon (tie 1st South Division)
Totals 72-73, 40-38 SoCon
Henry Dickerson Biography
When University of Tennessee at Chattanooga head basketball coach Mack McCarthy resigned from his post in 1997 after 12 successful years in Chattanooga, the choice as his successor was obvious. Henry Dickerson, McCarthy's top assistant for eight seasons, was named the 15th head coach in the history of the University's men's basketball program on August 6, 1997. Dr. Bill Stacy, UTC Chancellor, and interim athletic director Buddy Green both concurred that Dickerson, an 18-year collegiate coaching veteran, was the perfect person for the job.
"We found the best basketball coach in America, and he happened to be right here under our roof," Stacy said at a news conference announcing Dickerson's appointment. "Henry Dickerson is widely admired as a man of principle, as a coach, and as a citizen and family man. This appointment enjoys substantial and enthusiastic support throughout the University and the community. I know that our new head coach will bring to this substantial task all of the elements necessary for continued success."
In Dickerson's first season as head coach, five quality seniors were missing from the NCAA Sweet 16 team of 1996-97. Dickerson knew his first year as head of the program would not be an easy one, but he handled the trials and tribulations of a first-year head coach with class and dignity.
The Mocs posted a 13-15 overall record that season, taking on national powers such as North Carolina, South Carolina, Michigan and Ohio State. More importantly, Dickerson guided the Mocs to the Southern Conference South Division title with a 7-7 league mark. UTC advanced to the semifinals of the conference tournament before bowing to North Division winner Appalachian State.
Last season, Dickerson integrated some talented newcomers with a few veterans and guided the squad to a 16-12 mark. The Mocs went 9-7 in the SoCon's South Division to finish second behind league newcomer College of Charleston. UTC advanced to the semifinals of the conference tournament before bowing out to Appalachian State in double overtime.
Prior to taking over the program, Dickerson had served as the Associate Head Coach at UTC since the 1989-90 season. In his eight-year stint as McCarthy's top assistant, Dickerson helped lead Chattanooga to a 163-79 record, six Southern Conference regular season titles, four Southern Conference Tournament championships and four NCAA Tournament appearances, including the 1997 run to the Sweet 16.
As the chief recruiter on McCarthy's staff, he brought quality student-athletes to the Chattanooga campus, including Johnny Taylor, a first-round draft pick of the NBA's Orlando Magic, Willie Young, Chris Mims, Maurio Hanson, Brandon Born and Chad Copeland. One would be hard-pressed to find anyone on or off the campus that had anything but positives to say about Dickerson and the job he has done.
"Coach Dickerson is respected throughout the country for his leadership of young men, for his solid family values and for his dedication to his profession," interim athletics director Buddy Green said at Dickerson's hiring. "His standards for academic and athletic excellence are qualities that will guide our program to future success."
Considered one of the top recruiters in college basketball, Dickerson has turned down numerous offers from larger schools to serve on their coaching staffs. Each time, he refers to Chattanooga as home for both him and his family. His sense of community pride is evident when speaking to various groups and civic organizations. His concern for the well-being of the student-athlete has made him a popular choice among his players, and his love of family speaks for itself through the gleam of his eyes whenever they are mentioned.
Dickerson's entrance into the world of athletics began in his hometown of Beckley, W.Va. As a four-sport letterman at Woodrow Wilson High School, including stellar years in basketball, football, baseball and track, Dickerson is considered one of the greatest athletes to ever come out of the state of West Virginia.
As a senior at Woodrow Wilson, he averaged 30 points and 13 rebounds per game, leading the Flying Eagles to the sectional finals and earning All-State honors. During his junior year, Dickerson led Woodrow Wilson to the West Virginia state championship game. Dickerson was also a standout first baseman on the WWHS baseball team and was drafted following his senior year by Major League Baseball's Cleveland Indians. However, his first love was basketball, and he accepted a scholarship to Morris Harvey College in Charleston, W.Va., which has since changed its named to the University of Charleston.
While starring at Morris Harvey, Dickerson quickly established himself as one of the top players in the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, leading his school to the NAIA National Tournament as a freshman. Dickerson averaged 16 points and 12 rebounds during his four-year collegiate career and is still the only player in the history of the conference to be named first team All-Conference and All-Conference Tournament for four consecutive years. An NAIA All-American, Dickerson received his degree in Physical Education from Morris Harvey in 1973, and was named to the All-Academic West Virginia squad.
Dickerson borrows professional playing experience for his coaching theories and practices. Following the completion of his collegiate playing career, Dickerson signed with the Tel Aviv Sabares, a professional team in Israel. Dickerson was a teammate of current Illinois head coach Lon Kruger and former Boston Celtic player and head coach M.L. Carr in Israel. He was coached by Herb Brown, the brother of Larry Brown. After one season in Tel Aviv, Dickerson signed a free agent contract with the NBA's Detroit Pistons and played with them for the 1975-76 season.
In 1976-77, Dickerson signed with the Atlanta Hawks, who were then coached by Hubie Brown. While with the Hawks, he was a teammate of Eddie Johnson and Tree Rollins. The following season, hampered by nagging injuries, Dickerson played part-time with the Allentown (Pennsylvania) Jets in a semi-pro league before retiring from pro basketball.Dickerson's coaching career tipped off at Maury High School in Norfolk, Va., where he helped lead Maury to the semifinals of the Virginia State Tournament. It was in the summer of 1979 that he got his opportunity to become an assistant coach on the collegiate level, returning to his alma mater, now called the University of Charleston, as an associate head coach. He stayed through the 1982-83 season when he was offered his first opportunity within the Southern Conference.
Marshall University and head coach Rick Huckaby hired Dickerson as an assistant prior to the 1983-84 season, and Dickerson quickly helped establish the Thundering Herd program as one of the best in the league. In six seasons in Huntington, W.Va., Dickerson saw Marshall post a 129-59 record, capture four Southern Conference regular season titles, three league tournament championships, three NCAA Tournament appearances and one NIT invitation. Following the 1988-89 season, McCarthy came calling, offering Dickerson is next opportunity, the chance to be the Mocs associate head coach.
While serving in the assistant coaching ranks, Dickerson has been a part of eight 20-win seasons and 10 Southern Conference Championship or Co-Championship squads. Dickerson, 48, is married to the former Deborah Jones of Norfolk, Va., who is a Development Coordinator with the Hamilton County Development Office. The couple has two sons - Brian, 20, who is a sophomore at UTC, and Brandon, 14, a student at Hillcrest School.