Bio: Matt Daniels

[Harry]

One of Matt Daniel's philosophical staples is to "Enjoy Your Dash.", the dash representing your time on earth between your date of birth and date of death.

Central Arkansas fans have undoubtedly enjoyed Daniel's dash as head coach at the school, as the program has reached new heights under his guidance since he took control in 2008.

In the last three seasons, Daniel has taken the program from consecutive 20-loss seasons to a conference championship, three straight 21-win seasons and the best record in the Southland Conference during that period.

The program has experienced its best season ever at home, going 16-0 in the Farris Center in 2011-12 to cap a three-year run where they are 43-6 (.878) with a 19-game regular season winning streak in the building. Central Arkansas led the Southland in attendance (which has risen to a level 350 percent from where it was prior to Daniel's arrival) and the Sugar Bears have dveloped an intimidating home-court advantage that has led to school-record crowds and wins against various NCAA and WNIT tournament teams along with foes from the SEC, Big Ten and Conference USA.

The Sugar Bears have played for an NCAA tournament berth; have made postseason tournaments ('12 WNIT, '11 WBI) in the program's first two years eligible in Division I after its transition from Division II; and have consistently been ranked in the Mid-Major Top 25 poll, climbing to as high as No. 11 this season.

Under Daniel's guidance, Central Arkansas has developed into the league's most consistent program, holding the highest winning percentage among Southland teams over the last three seasons at .717, 40 games over .500. It is the league's only program to post 20 or more wins in each of those seasons, and the first in a decade to string together three straight seasons of 21 or more wins. The Sugar Bears have won 75 percent (36-12) of their conference games during that span, including a 21-3 record in home games.

The 2011-12 season was one for the ages for Central Arkansas as the Sugar Bears captured their first conference championship in NCAA Division I, in their sixth year in the Southland. That guaranteed them their second straight postseason appearance, earning them an automatic qualifier spot in the WNIT. They registered victories over SEC and Big 10 teams for the first time, had five of their six biggest crowds in school history, took home the league's player, defensive player and coach of the year awards, and ranked in the national Top 50 in seven categories.

In the 2010-11 season, their first year eligible for Division I postseason play, the Sugar Bears came a game away from the NCAA Tournament as they advanced to the championship game of their first-ever Southland Conference Tournament.

They followed that up with an invitation to the Women's Basketball Invitational, hosting eventual champion UAB out of Conference USA in the first round. In addition to being a historical night for the program – playing in its first Division I postseason tournament – it was also a record-setting night as a then school-record crowd packed into the Farris Center for the event.

It made for the second straight highly successful season for the Sugar Bears under Daniel, who guided the team to a 21-8 mark and was named the Southland Conference Coach of the Year and a WBCA National Coach of the Year nominee in 2009-10. In that season the Sugar Bears broke the 24 year-old conference record by making a 15-game improvement from the previous season – then the 8th largest turnaround ever in Division I play. Central Arkansas was 15-1 at home, leading the Southland in home victories and breaking the school record for most in a season. Of the 21 wins, 11 came against teams the Sugar Bears had played and failed to beat the previous year.

During the '09-'10 season, the Sugar Bears broke scoring records both offensively and defensively – putting up new conference marks for most points in a game (119) and fewest allowed (22). Over the past two seasons the Sugar Bears have averaged 73.5 points per game – up 10 points per game from the previous staff. They have had 18 games of 80+ points, with three 100-point games.

All the accomplishments by that '09-'10 team, which missed a divisional title by mere seconds, was done by a group consisting of six freshmen, two sophomores and a junior – the most inexperienced team in the nation with just three years total among them at the D-I level.

The Sugar Bears have had tremendous individual success under Daniel's tutelage as well, much of it by home-state talent, something Daniel takes great pride in. Having been born and raised in the state, and highly recruited as a prep athlete at Jonesboro High School, Daniel has long maintained an affinity for basketball talent within Arkansas borders. In his four signing classes thus far at UCA, he has mined his home state with tremendous success, signing 18 players from within the state with a Miss Basketball, many state champions and some of the state's most highly regarded talents among them. On last season's history-making team, 10 of the top 12 scorers were Arkansas products.

Megan Herbert, who was the state's Miss Basketball in 2009 out of Shiloh Christian, exploded onto the national scene her freshman year by leading the country in rebounds (399) and double-doubles (27), producing a 23-game double-double streak (the second longest in Division I history) and averaging 21.8 points and 13.8 rebounds en route to being named the league's Freshman of the Year. She followed that up by being named the Southland Player of the Year in 2011 and 2012, also being named the league's Defensive Player of the Year in 2012.

In-state products such as Nakeia Guiden (Guy-Perkins) and sisters Destinee and Desiree' Rogers (Camden Fairview) have earned All-Southland Conference and Southland Conference tournament honors, Westin Taylor (Valley Springs) wasted no time breaking records by hitting 10 (of 12) 3-pointers in a half in her third game in a Sugar Bear uniform, and Micah Rice (Little Rock Parkview) has been among the league leaders and is the school's career record holder for free throw percentage.

Daniel, who developed his recruiting-trail reputation while assembling three highly ranked classes as the recruiting coordinator at the University of Missouri, has succeeded in bringing in top-quality talent to Central Arkansas not only in Arkansas, but beyond. In addition to signing two players ranked in the top 40 nationally at their position, Daniel has attracted talent from around the nation, drawing student-athletes from Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Arizona to Conway, Arkansas.

The success has extended well beyond the basketball court, as the Sugar Bears have excelled in the classroom as well. The team has had a combined GPA above 3.0 and three players have earned Southland All-Academic honors under Daniel's watch.

Interest in the program is at an all-time high under Daniel, with large strides made in terms of attendance and private donations, leading to several upgrades in facilities.

As the level of success has risen, attendance has increased exponentially. After drawing a then-record crowd of 2,953 against UAB in last season's finale in the WBI, the Sugar Bears followed it up with crowds of 3,450 and 3,320 in the first two home games of 2011-12. Eight of the top 10 crowds in program history have come within the last two years (including five of the top six in 2012) as the program has blossomed.

Support for the program has risen as well, with donors making gifts allowing for new chairback courtside seating, an overhaul of the locker room and coaches offices along with the construction of a film room and study hall area for the student-athletes.

The 35 year-old Jonesboro, Ark. native came to Central Arkansas from the University of Missouri, where he quickly developed a reputation as one of the nation's most tireless and spirited young coaches. During his three seasons at Mizzou, where he served as recruiting coordinator, he assembled the nation's 25th, 26th and 31st-ranked recruiting classes and signed 2011 Final Four Most Outstanding Player Danielle Adams.

Prior to his time at Missouri, Daniel spent the 2004-05 season as an assistant at the University of Colorado under coach Ceal Barry, returning to the campus where he began his collegiate playing career in the mid-'90s. In '03-'04 Daniel led Little Rock's Pulaski Academy boys to a 34-1 record, a berth in the state semifinals and a national ranking as high as No. 14 while earning 6AAA Coach of the Year honors.

He spent 1999-2003 as a men's assistant at UT Arlington, and was a graduate assistant under Rob Evans at Arizona State in 1998-99.

Daniel was Mr. Basketball in Arkansas in 1994 and was named MVP of the state tournament after taking Jonesboro High to a state title in Arkansas' highest classification. He began his collegiate career at Colorado in '94-'95, playing alongside NBA star Chauncey Billups. Daniel became the first freshman to earn a postseason start at Colorado as he helped lead the Buffaloes to the NIT that season. The next year he earned Big Eight All-Academic honors. After two years in Boulder, Daniel transferred to Harding University in Searcy, Ark. where he graduated in 1998.

Daniel has been around basketball his entire life, growing up in a basketball family. At UT Arlington he coached his younger brother Josh. Their father, David, is a highly respected figure in the state after having spent more than 30 years coaching both in the high school ranks and at Arkansas State University before moving into athletics administration at Jonesboro High.

He and his wife, Dr. Jennifer Daniel, reside in Conway.

Read more: http://www.ucasports.com/coaches.aspx?rc=95&path=wbball

[NT03]

We have a winner

[SUMG]

Look who he's listed right behind in this list of Up and Coming Mid Major Coaches:

http://hoopism.blogspot.com/2011/12/coaches-to-watch-for-mid-majors.html

[All About UNT]

He is our best bet.... I was worried about where he recruited from but he was all over the place as the Mizzou recruiting coordinator and also spent time at UTA as an asst.

[FirefightnRick]

Held a team to 22 points?

I like this guy.

Rick

[VideoEagle]

It looks like we have some potentially good options. Now, are the interested in our job/salary/situation? Rick V has some work ahead!

[FirefightnRick]

By the way. Daniels interviewd for the Ol Miss job two weeks ago but didn't get it. So seems like this guy is getting some serious consideration. He probably won't be available for too much longer?

Rick

Edited April 3, 2012 by FirefightnRick

[Harry]

I think Daniels is such a good candidate - but we have a lot of male coaches already...that would be the only issue I see here.

[FirefightnRick]

I think Daniels is such a good candidate - but we have a lot of male coaches already...that would be the only issue I see here.

True, and sad if that is all that matters.

Rick

[MeanGreenTexan]

I think Daniels is such a good candidate - but we have a lot of male coaches already...that would be the only issue I see here.

I don't care about race, gender, religion, etc...

Can the guy win, and win the right way? If so, hire him.

I know you're playing Devil's advocate Harry, I just hope that is not the reason a guy like Daniels would get passed over.

He could be an Iranian transgendered scientologist, for all I care. Just get us to the NCAA tournament, and do it without cheating!

Go Mean Green!

[FirefightnRick]

I don't care about race, gender, religion, etc...

Can the guy win, and win the right way? If so, hire him.

I know you're playing Devil's advocate Harry, I just hope that is not the reason a guy like Daniels would get passed over.

He could be an Iranian transgendered scientologist, for all I care. Just get us to the NCAA tournament, and do it without cheating!

Go Mean Green!

Exactly. I can't fathom why anyone would care to even bring this up, either. We have such a tiny fanbase as it already is. And an even smaller women's fan base at that. Honestly, who in hell on our campus or within the tiny fanbase gives a damn about the gender or race of our coaches as long as they get results?

Rick

[NT03]

Looked at all the bios & then some. I think I like Daniels the most.

I really like Travis Mays too , but he has never been a HC.

From a purely recruiting standpoint - Mays

From a purely coaching standpoint - Daniels

Either way I would be happy with

[bdan2002]

Looks like his most recent salary in 2011 was $100,000.

[FirefightnRick]

Look who he's listed right behind in this list of Up and Coming Mid Major Coaches:

http://hoopism.blogspot.com/2011/12/coaches-to-watch-for-mid-majors.html

..."Matt Daniel, Central Arkansas (Southland)

Daniel wasted no time in making the Sugar Bears relevant in its short tenure in Division I. After an initial season of 6-23, Daniels has posted records of 21-8 and 21-12. Doing more with less, UCA has beaten a SEC, Big 10 and Conference USA foe in only two short years from a 6-win season and now is a perennial threat for a Southland Conference title. The Sugar Bears have been placed in good hands with the Arkansas native who knows the state and recruits extremely well.".....

Also, I noticed on that list that there are no assistants listed. If anything, this is what I hope officials at NT don't look for in KSue's replacement. She set the bar for this position that we should not drop below. Her replacement should be a top candidate that is a head coach. No more OTJ's for North Texas, any more. We are now above that and I hope our alumni and fanbase realize this.

Rick

[VideoEagle]

Also, I noticed on that list that there are no assistants listed. If anything, this is what I hope officials at NT don't look for in KSue's replacement. She set the bar for this position that we should not drop below. Her replacement should be a top candidate that is a head coach. No more OTJ's for North Texas, any more. We are now above that and I hope our alumni and fanbase realize this.

Rick

I understand the sentiment, but Mulky had no head coaching experience when she went to Baylor. And the outgoing coach at UT had been very success as a head coach at other schools before Texas. There is no perfect formula which is why I wouldn't want Rick V's job!

[FirefightnRick]

There is no perfect formula which is why I wouldn't want Rick V's job!

Of course there isn't a perfect formula. But there are parameters that programs with high expectations follow.. If there wasn't, then why didn't Texas go after an assistant for their last two hires and save themselves some money?

Rick

Edited April 5, 2012 by FirefightnRick