Danny Evans, a seasoned veteran of the hardwood brings over 25 years of experience to the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Women’s Basketball Program.
Evans began his coaching career at Oregon State in Corvallis, where he was named assistant women’s coach in 1990.
In his five seasons at OSU, he helped lead the Beavers two NCAA Tournament appearances. In 1994, the Beavers fell to the University of Alabama, 96-86 in the first round of the NCAA Tourney in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Also during the 1994-95 season, the Beavers ranked No. 12 in the nation.
The following season OSU defeated Tennessee State, 88- 75 in overtime in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, advancing to face Western Kentucky in the second round, where they came up short in a 85-78 loss.
In his tenure at OSU, Evans helped produce Tanja Kostic, OSU’s all-time leading scorer, who finished ranked in the Pac-10 in career scoring, while helping create and implement the “Orange Wave Club,” that reached over 500 in membership.
Evans then ventured to the Midwest, when he was named assistant women’s basketball coach at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, in the fall of 1995.
In his one season at Michigan, Evans recruited Stacey Thomas the 1996 Michigan Player of the Year and Gatorade Player of the Year. Thomas would later be selected No. 23 by the Portland Fire in the 2000 WNBA Draft.
After one season with the Wolverines, Evans was named assistant women’s coach at the University of South Alabama in 1996.
In his one season with the Jaguars, Evans help rebuild a women’s basketball program that had six players from the previous season. Through Evans' vigorous recruiting efforts, which netted eight new players, South Alabama was able to assemble a 14-player roster for the 1996-97 season.
Evans then returned to the Midwest, when he was named assistant women’s basketball coach at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.
In his three seasons at Minnesota, Evans recruited and signed Lindsay Whalen, a First Team All-Big 10 selection, who is currently a member of the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA.
In the fall of 2003, Evans made his Southwestern Athletic Conference debut, when he was named assistant women’s basketball coach at Southern University in Baton Rouge, La.
In the 2003-04 season, Evans help guide the Jaguars to 17-13 record, winning the 2004 SWAC Women’s Basketball Tournament, and making a NCAA Tournament first round appearance against the University of Texas.
After three seasons at Southern, Evans was named Head Women’s Basketball Coach at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff in 2005.
In his first season, Evans and his Lady Lions finished the 2005-06 season 7-21. The following season, UAPB recorded its first double-digit win season since rejoining the conference in the 1997-98 season. UAPB finished the 2007-08 season 11-20, advancing to the conference tournament quarterfinal round.
This Flint, Mich., native played high school basketball at Northwestern High School, where as a senior, he received All-District, All-City and Second Team All-State honors, while helping lead his team to the State semifinals.
After a stellar high school career, Evans earned a scholarship to Oregon State, where he helped the Beavers win three Pac-10 titles under Basketball of Hall of Fame Coach Ralph Miller. In the 1980-81 season, the Beavers went 29-2 and was ranked No. 1 in the nation for 11 weeks.
In the 1982-82 season, Evans helped lead OSU to an Elite Eight finish, before bowing out of the tournament to Patrick Ewing and Georgetown University.
Evans furthered his playing career as he was selected by the San Diego Clippers in the third round of the 1983 NBA draft. He would play professionally in Europe for nine years.
He has been enshrined into the Oregon State University Hall of Fame twice - as a member of the 1981 and 1982 OSU Men’s Basketball Team, and once as an individual.
Evans holds a Bachelor of Science in General Studies with a minor in Business Administration and Graphic Design from Oregon State (1983) and he is a member of the Black Coaches Association.
He and his wife Sheila are the proud parents of three sons Darrion, Danny, Jr., and Desmond.
