BYU-Hawaii names Stanger head coach

Missed this one from a few weeks ago…

The Brigham Young University Hawaii Athletic Department has hired Craig Stanger to serve as head women’s basketball coach.

“I am excited for the opportunity,” Stanger said. It’s a great honor to work with BYU-Hawaii and I look forward to the challenges. One of our immediate goals is to get BYU-Hawaii extremely competitive and compete for a conference title. We know our work is cut out for us but I like the attitude of our team.”

Stanger brings over 25 years of coaching and administrative experience to the Seasiders, including six years at the helm of the men’s program at Western Oregon University.

“BYU-Hawaii has wonderful facilities and is a fine institution. Our goal is to represent the institute well and be competitive,” Stanger said. “The men have shown a great example and our goal is to do the same on the women’s side.”

Stanger has spent the past two seasons as area director of scouting for National Scouting Report – Oregon. While area director of the NSR of Oregon, he showcased his extensive recruiting knowledge and expertise in helping represent the interests some of Oregon’s finest student-athletes throughout the recruiting process.

Prior to his stint at NSR of Oregon, Stanger spent 17 seasons at Western Oregon, serving as the head coach of the Wolves 2005-11. In four of his six seasons as head coach, Stanger produced a conference freshman of the year award winner.

As a recruiter and head assistant coach, he had the opportunity invest in some of the finest players in WOU school history—including the school’s all-time leading scorer, assists leader and steals leader. Several of Stanger’s players have gone on to play professionally overseas and in the NBA Developmental League. Stanger joined the Western Oregon staff beginning in 1994-95.

His collegiate career began when he was a student manager at Brigham Young University in 1988. He graduated from BYU in 1992.

Stanger also coached at the high school level at Murtaugh (enrollment of 80 students) in Idaho. Stanger was named Idaho State Coach of the Year in 1993-94 after leading the Red Devils to the Class A-4 title.

In 1992-93, Murtaugh finished second in the state championship tournament at the small school level. In addition to his responsibilities as head basketball coach at MHS, Stanger was the athletic director for the Red Devils. He also coached the Southern Idaho BCI (Basketball Congress International) team and worked with other teams of the same caliber throughout the state of Idaho. Stanger’s two-season record as head coach at Murtaugh was 41-12.

Prior to coaching in Murtaugh, Stanger served one season as an assistant boys’ coach at American Fork High School near Provo, Utah, and one year as an assistant girls coach at Spanish Fork (Utah) High.

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