Head Coach Danny Wingate
The
Missouri Baptist University Women’s Basketball program has been under
Danny Wingate's leadership since 2003. Under Wingate’s direction,
the Lady Spartans have improved in all areas. The program was 17-13 in his
first season as head coach, and 19-13 the following season, good for third
place in the American Midwest Conference. In the 2005-2006 season, Coach
Wingate led the Lady Spartans to their first ever American Midwest Conference
regular season title and the program's first ever trip to the NAIA Division
I Women’s Basketball National Tournament. Coach Wingate was named
American Midwest Conference Coach of the Year in 2005-2006. He has accumulated
an overall record of 89-66 at MBU.
Coach Wingate has had the pleasure of recruiting and coaching eleven NAIA All-Americans including the 2005 AMC Newcomer of the Year, 2006 AMC Player of the Year, and 2007 AMC Freshman of the Year. One of Wingate’s former players is now playing professionally over-seas. Along with steady improvement in the team record, Wingate has brought stability to the Lady Spartan program. Wingate’s program boasts of a high 90% retention rate from his athletes. The Lady Spartans have also built a strong junior-varsity program.
Prior to coming to MBU, Coach Wingate was the Head Women’s Basketball Coach for Trinity International University for three years, and prior to that, was the Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach at Judson College for two years, both located in Chicago’s suburbs. Wingate played for Malone College (Canton, Ohio) and was named 1st team All-American. Wingate holds the Malone College single game scoring record with 53 points in a game. He was featured in a December issue of Sports Illustrated for his efforts.
Coach Wingate holds a Bachelor of Science in Communications from Malone College and a Master’s Degree in Higher Education Teaching from Geneva College. Wingate also serves MBU as an Instructor in the Health and Sports Science Division. He is married to wife, Tiah, and they have one daughter, Jaylee, and two sons, Tripp and Romagn.
Assistant Coach Iris Dixon
Coach
Dixon enters her 9th year at MBU as Assistant Coach of the Women’s
Varsity Basketball Team. She has been an essential part of the program’s
continued success. Under the direction of Head Coach Danny Wingate, Coach
Dixon assisted in starting to rebuild the Women’s Basketball Program
in the 2006-2007 Season. The Lady Spartans brought in several new student
athletes to assist in the continuing stability within the Women’s
Basketball Program. Prior to last season, the Lady Spartans reached its
best finish in the 2005-2006 Season. The Lady Spartans finished with a 25-7
win/loss record and 1st in the American Midwest Conference (AMC). The Lady
Spartans were the AMC regular season champions and received an at large
bid to the NAIA National Tournament in Jackson, TN; the first in school’s
history.
In addition to her duties as an Assistant Coach, Instructor in the Kinesiology Health and Sport Sciences Division where she teaches classes such as Drugs, Society, and Human Behavior and Sport Marketing that fall under the Sport Management Program.
Prior to coming to Missouri Baptist, Coach Dixon was a member of the United States Army’s 95th AG (Adjutant General) Battalion at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. In addition to her military duties, Coach Dixon was a member/coach of the Post Army Women’s Basketball Team, and a member of the Women’s Army National Team. Coach Dixon has fulfilled her years of service for the US Military and now is only involved with Education and Athletics.
Coach Dixon, a native of Natchitoches, Louisiana holds a Bachelor‘s
Degree in Business Administration from Northwestern State University and
a Master’s Degree in Kinesiology (Sport Management) from Southern
Illinois University Edwardsville.
