# Bob Vanatta

Bob Vanatta (July 7, 1918 – October 22, 2016) was an American basketball coach and college athletics administrator. He was the head basketball coach for Central Methodist, Missouri State University, Army, Bradley, Memphis State, Missouri, and Delta State University. At Missouri State, he won the 1952 and 1953 NAIA Championships. He compiled a 109–34 record at Memphis State, including making it to the 1957 NIT Championship game. After coaching, he later served as athletic director at Oral Roberts University, commissioner of the Ohio Valley Conference, commissioner of the Atlantic Sun Conference, executive director of the Independence Bowl, athletic director at Louisiana Tech University, commissioner of the Sunshine State Conference, president of the NCAA Division II Conference Commissioner's Association, and associate athletic director at Florida Atlantic University. He was a Palm Beach County Sports Commission member, which presents the Lou Groza Award to the nation's top placekicker.
Vanatta died October 22, 2016, aged 98, in Melbourne, Florida.

## Head coaching record

Statistics overview :
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason |
| Central Eagles (Independent) (1947–1950) ||||||
| Central: | Central: | 61–20 (.753) | | | |
| Southwest Missouri State Bears (Mid–America Intercollegiate Athletics Association) (1950–1953) ||||||
| 1950–51 | Southwest Missouri State | 22–3 | 7–3 | 2nd | |
| 1951–52 | Southwest Missouri State | 27–5 | 10–0 | 1st | NAIA Champions |
| 1952–53 | Southwest Missouri State | 24–4 | 8–2 | 1st | NAIA Champions |
| Southwest Missouri State: | Southwest Missouri State: | 73–12 (.857) | 25–5 (.833) | | |
| Army Cadets (Independent) (1953–1954) ||||||
| 1953–54 | Army | 15–7 | | | |
| Army: | Army: | 15–7 (.682) | | | |
| Bradley Braves (Independent) (1954–1955) ||||||
| 1954–55 | Bradley | 9–20 | | | NCAA Elite Eight |
| Bradley Braves (Missouri Valley Conference) (1955–1956) ||||||
| 1955–56 | Bradley | 13–13 | | | |
| Bradley: | Bradley: | 22–33 (.400) | | | |
| Memphis State Tigers (Independent) (1956–1962) ||||||
| 1956–57 | Memphis State | 24–6 | | | NIT Finals |
| 1957–58 | Memphis State | 15–7 | | | |
| 1958–59 | Memphis State | 17–6 | | | |
| 1959–60 | Memphis State | 18–5 | | | NIT First Round |
| 1960–61 | Memphis State | 20–3 | | | NIT Quarterfinals |
| 1961–62 | Memphis State | 15–7 | | | NCAA first round |
| Memphis State: | Memphis State: | 109–34 (.762) | | | |
| Missouri Tigers (Big Eight Conference) (1962–1967) ||||||
| 1962–63 | Missouri | 10–15 | 5–9 | T–6th | |
| 1963–64 | Missouri | 13–11 | 7–7 | T–4th | |
| 1964–65 | Missouri | 13–11 | 8–6 | T–3rd | |
| 1965–66 | Missouri | 3–21 | 1–13 | 8th | |
| 1966–67 | Missouri | 3–22 | 1–13 | 8th | |
| Missouri: | Missouri: | 42–80 (.344) | 22–48 (.314) | | |
| Delta State Statesmen (Gulf States Conference) (1972–1973) ||||||
| 1972–73 | Delta State | 11–14 | 4–10 | | |
| Delta State: | Delta State: | 11–14 (.440) | 4–10 (.286) | | |
| Total: | Total: | 333–200 (.625) | | | |
| National champion   Postseason invitational champion   Conference regular season champion   Conference regular season and conference tournament champion  Division regular season champion  Division regular season and conference tournament champion  Conference tournament champion ||||||