By Danielle Daniels
Dickerson rejoins program after spending seven seasons on Thad Matta’s staff from 2010-17
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State men’s basketball head coach Jake Diebler announced today that veteran coach Dave Dickerson has joined his coaching staff as an assistant coach. Dickerson returns to Ohio State after spending seven seasons in Columbus from 2010-17. He and Diebler were together on the staff from 2014-16.
“Dave Dickerson is a respected, veteran coach and I am excited that he is rejoining the Ohio State family,” Diebler said. “He was not only a part of some of the most successful teams in Ohio State history, but he also brings head coaching experience that will be invaluable as we continue to take the next step as a program.”
The Olar, S.C. native served as head coach of USC Upstate for the last six seasons, leading the Spartans in their transition to the Big South Conference. He was also the head coach at Tulane for five seasons from 2005-10.
In total, Dickerson has over 20 years of college coaching experience and 11 years of head coaching experience with stops at Gardner-Webb, James Madison, Radford, Maryland, Tulane, Ohio State and USC Upstate. Prior to heading to USC Upstate, he spent one year as a scout for the NBA’s Utah Jazz.
At Upstate, he led the Spartans to two of their best seasons since joining the DI ranks. The program made back-to-back postseason appearances in 2021-22 and 2022-23 and earned a No. 4 seed in the Big South Tournament each season. Dickerson was also named a finalist for the Skip Prosser Man of the Year award while leading the program to the 2021-22 Big South Team Sportsmanship award.
Prior to going to USC Upstate, Dickerson was on staff for some of the best years in Ohio State history. He was an assistant coach under Thad Matta for seven years and served as associate head coach for the last six. During his time, Dickerson and the Buckeyes recorded 181 victories, two Big 10 Regular Season titles, three Big Ten Tournament title game appearances, three Sweet 16 appearances, an Elite Eight run in 2013 and the 2012 Final Four. Ohio State participated in NCAA Tournament play in five of his seven seasons.
Before coming to Ohio State in 2010, Dickerson spent five years as head coach at Tulane. He compiled 68 wins after inheriting a Green Wave basketball program that had registered just one winning season during the five years prior to his arrival. He guided the Green Wave to back-to-back winning seasons in 2006-07 and 2007-08, a feat that had not been achieved in the 11 previous years.
Prior to being named head coach for the Green Wave, Dickerson served as an assistant coach at Maryland, his alma mater, under head coach Gary Williams for nine years. In 2004-05, Dickerson was elevated to associate head coach. He helped the Terrapins to nine consecutive postseason appearances, including five Sweet 16’s, two Final Fours and the program’s first-ever National Championship in 2002.
Dickerson played forward at Maryland from 1985-89, serving as co-captain as a senior in 1989 and making a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances. He graduated in 1990 with a bachelor’s degree in government and politics.
Soon after graduating, Dickerson began his coaching career at Gardner-Webb for one season. He then joined former head coach Lefty Driesell at James Madison for the 1992 season that culminated in a bid to the NIT. After leaving James Madison, Dickerson was on the coaching staff at Radford for four seasons as an assistant coach before heading to Tulane.
Coaching accolades for Dickerson throughout his coaching career include AFLAC Assistant Coach of the Year in 2003, the ACC’s No. 1 Assistant Coach as named by Basketball News (2003-04), Athlon Sports’ No. 4 Assistant Coach in the nation (2003-04) and an “Assistant Coach on the Rise” as tabbed by ESPN’s Andy Katz. He was the National Association of Basketball Coaches District 8 Coach of the Year in 2007-08.
Dickerson’s Coaching Career
1990–91 Gardner–Webb Assistant Coach (1 season)
1991–92 James Madison Assistant Coach (1 season)
1992–96 Radford Assistant Coach (4 seasons)
1996–05 Maryland Assistant Coach/Associate Head Coach (9 seasons)
2005–10 Tulane Head Coach (5 seasons)
2010–17 Ohio State Assistant Coach/Associate Head Coach (7 seasons)
2018–24 USC Upstate Head Coach (6 seasons)
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