Episode 366

full
Published on:

2nd Apr 2025

Craig Doty on Adapting to Change (EP366)

In this week's basketball coaching conversation, Houston Christian University head coach Craig Doty joins the Basketball Podcast to share insights on adapting to change.

Doty arrived at Houston Christian University as a three-time national champion head coach and three-time national coach of the year, with 12 years of head college coaching experience and a 259-126 career record which includes a 31-10 mark in postseason play.

Doty spent six seasons as head men’s basketball coach at Emporia State University in Kansas. Known as a program-builder, Doty improved the Emporia State program from an inherited 9-19 record (4-15 MIAA) to a 23-9 record (15-7 MIAA) in 2022-23. In each of his final three seasons at ESU, Doty’s teams appeared in the NABC Division II national polls while being ranked in the top 25 for six weeks in 2022-23 and as high as #15 in 2023-24.

Prior to his arrival in Emporia, Doty led Graceland University to national prominence. In just two seasons at Graceland, Doty’s program had a 49-22 record and won the 2018 NAIA Division I National Championship in the school's first trip to the national tournament. Along the way Doty earned NAIA National Coach of the Year and the 2018 Don Meyer Award. Upon winning the 2018 national championship, Doty had led his teams to the National Championship game four out of the previous five seasons.

Doty began his head coaching career as the head men's basketball coach at Rock Valley College. In his four years he built a national powerhouse. When Doty took over the program in 2012, Rock Valley was ranked last in Region IV preseason poll. Over the next four years, Doty would lead the Golden Eagles to four consecutive national tournaments including three straight national title games. Rock Valley was crowned National Champions in 2014 and in 2016, the first and second national championships in the 50-year program history.

Show artwork for The Basketball Podcast

About the Podcast

The Basketball Podcast
This is the podcast where you will hear real basketball coaching conversations. Whether you are a new or experienced coach at any level of basketball these coaching conversations will give you practical ideas to stimulate your coaching and make what you do even better.

About your host

Profile picture for Rich Czeslawski

Rich Czeslawski