Former University of Michigan men’s basketball coach Dave Strack passed away yesterday (Saturday, Jan. 25) at the age of 90.

Under Dave Strack’s leadership, the U-M basketball program reached new heights in the 1960s. He led the Wolverines to three straight Big Ten titles, earning a share of the 1964 title and outright conference crowns in 1965 and 1966. Michigan posted a 23-5 record and placed third at the NCAA Tournament in 1964. A year later, the Wolverines went 24-4 mark and finished as the national runner-up at the 1965 NCAA Tournament. Strack was named the 1965 UPI National Coach of the Year, and the Wolverines were voted No. 1 in the final AP and UPI polls prior to the tournament. U-M won its third straight Big Ten title with an 11-3 conference record and 18-8 overall mark en route to an appearance in the 1966 NCAA Regional Final.

Strack compiled a 113-89 overall record at Michigan, including a 58-54 mark in Big Ten play. His 113 career wins place fourth on Michigan’s all-time list. Upon returning to his alma mater, Strack’s recruiting prowess landed U-M such future greats as Cazzie Russell and Bill Buntin.

After his coaching stint, Strack moved to the U-M Athletic Department administrative staff as the business manager and then as an associate athletic director. Strack left Michigan in 1972 to become the Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at the University of Arizona. He held the position for a decade before resigning in 1982.

As a basketball player, Strack was the team captain and MVP at Shortridge High (Ind.) before arriving at Michigan. He became a three-time letterwinner for the Wolverines and captained the 1945-46 squad.

He joined the Michigan coaching staff in 1948, as the freshman coach, and was later promoted to varsity assistant under Bill Perigo. Strack returned to Michigan in 1960 after a one-year coaching stint at the University of Idaho, where his team posted an 11-15 record.

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