Basketball Coaches of IU: Everett Dean

Written by: Bill Murphy (@Williamindiana2)

Everett Dean came to Bloomington from the little town of Salem, Indiana in 1917. He first made his mark as an outstanding player in his very first game in Vincennes, Indiana against Vincennes YMCA on January 2, 1918 would see Indiana win 47 to 16. In Dean's eighth game as a sophomore, he scored 15 points to lead the Hoosiers to a victory over Franklin.  He would go on to score in double figures for the next four games averaging 15 points per contest.

During Dean's sophomore year - in 17 games - he would score in double figures seven times. On March 5th of that season, his 15 points would outscore the entire Notre Dame team’s total of 11 in what would be the first of seven times during his career he would outscore the entire opposing team.  Dean led Indiana in scoring his first year with 158 points for a 9.3 average. He played center at 6 feet tall yet led IU in scoring all three years as a junior scoring 201 points for a 9.6 average, leading Indiana to a 15 and 6 record.  

Dean's senior year, he once again led Indiana in scoring with 234 points while being selected first team All-Big Ten, the Big Ten Medal of Honor winner, and Indiana's first ever All American in basketball. 

He would leave IU as its all-time leading scorer with 593 career points.  Three years later, he would be named head coach of Indiana University for the 1924-25 season. 

Before Dean became head coach at IU, Indiana had had just 12 winning seasons in their first 24 years of basketball including three winning seasons when Dean played there.  Yet, while Dean coached at Indiana, he had 10 winning seasons out of 13 years with one sub .500 hundred year. Included in those seasons, were Indiana's first three Big Ten championships in ‘26, ‘28, and ‘36. Dean's overall record at Indiana was 162 wins vs. 93 losses. His 162 victories would be the third most in Indiana history behind Bob Knight and Branch McCracken.

A 26 year old Everett Dean would come to IU fresh off a 15 and 0 record from tiny Carleton college after three years there. In his first year at Indiana he would guide the Hoosiers to a 12 and 5 record and a second place finish in the Big Ten, its highest finish ever in the conference.

In 1926, Dean would lead Indiana to their first ever Big Ten Championship as the Hoosiers would again finish with a record of 12 and 5. In year 3, Indiana would improve its overall record to 13 and 4 and another second place Big Ten finish. In 1928, IU captured its second Big Ten Championship with a sophomore Branch McCracken leading the way. In ‘29 and ‘30 Indiana finished with a losing record . In 1931, Dean would again right the Hoosier ship and produce a winning record. After slipping again in ‘32, 1933 produced another winning record and a fifth place Big Ten finish.  By 1934, Indiana was 13 and 7. By 1936, just 10 years after Indiana had won their first Big Ten Championship  the Hoosiers again captured a Big Ten title with a 18 and 2 record. 

In 1937, Indiana finished the season 13 and 7 ending the season with a 31 to 27 win over Michigan. 1938 would be Dean's last year at Indiana. He would walk off the court a 45 to 35 winner over Illinois ending his coaching career at IU with a fitting victory.