Dave Buchanan is in his third season as an assistant coach after serving as the program’s director of basketball operations for one season in 2013-14.
A veteran Division III head coach, he brought more than a decade years of collegiate coaching experience to the Bulldogs.
“I’m thrilled that we were able to attract someone with Dave’s background and experience to our staff,” Drake head coach Ray Giacoletti said. “He’s been a collegiate head coach for seven years and is a man of great character. His experience and insight will be a tremendous addition to our staff and we couldn’t be more happy to have him join us.”
Buchanan came to Drake following four seasons as the head coach at Carroll University, a Division III program in Waukesha, Wis. Prior to Carroll, he was the head coach at the University of Wisconsin-Superior following extensive experience as a high school head coach and collegiate assistant.
“This is a great opportunity for me to work with an excellent coaching staff and to be in a great league like the Missouri Valley Conference,” Buchanan said. “I’m excited to learn a great deal from Coach Giacoletti and work build a championship program at Drake. Des Moines is a great place to live and Heather [Buchanan’s wife] and I see this move as a great professional opportunity in my coaching career.”
At Carroll, Buchanan led the Pioneers to 63 victories, including 18 wins in 2013, which tied for the second most in a season all time in the program’s 109 year history. His 63 wins were the fifth most by a coach in program history. The program’s success under Buchanan’s leadership also included three trips to the Midwest Conference tournament championship game and a tournament championship in 2012. That season resulted in an NCAA Tournament appearance and a victory over Division III power Transylvania in the tournament.
During his four seasons guiding Carroll, he coached two honorable mention all-conference performers, four second team all-conference performers, a Midwest Conference Player of The Year and an All-American. His program was just as successful in the classroom with 13 student-athletes earning academic all-conference honors and one achieving Academic All-America status.
His UW-Superior tenure saw him guide the Yellowjackets from a perennial afterthought into a league contender. In his second season, he coached the team to the conference tournament semifinals for just the second time in program history and the best regular season finish in 29 years.
A native of Watertown, Wis., Buchanan was a standout collegiate basketball player at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, where he served as team captain and MVP for two seasons. He graduated in 1995 with a degree in physical education and was recognized for his academic success by being named to the NABC honors court.
Buchanan’s coaching career began as a volunteer student assistant coach at UW-La Crosse. He then moved to Greenfield High School for his first head coaching position, leading the Hawks to their first Woodland Conference Championship in 31 years in just his second season. After five years at Greenfield, Buchanan had a stint at Brookfield East High School before becoming the top assistant men’s basketball coach at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, an NCAA Division II member.
As the recruiting coordinator at Parkside, Buchanan recruited a regionally recognized class in just his first season. That recruiting class went on to eventually qualify for the 2007 NCAA Tournament. Buchannan and his wife, Heather, reside in Des Moines.
