{{Short description|American basketball player and coach (born 1979)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}} {{Infobox college coach | name = Dane Fife | image = | alt = | caption = | current_title = | current_team = | current_conference = | current_record = | contract = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1979|7|26}} | birth_place = Clarkston, Michigan, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | alma_mater = | player_years1 = 1998–2002 | player_team1 = Indiana | player_years2 = 2002 | player_team2 = Gary Steelheads | coach_years1 = 2003–2005 | coach_team1 = Indiana (grad assistant) | coach_years2 = 2005–2011 | coach_team2 = IPFW | coach_years3 = 2011–2021 | coach_team3 = Michigan State (assistant) | coach_years4 = 2021–2022 | coach_team4 = Indiana (assistant) | overall_record = 82–97 ({{winpct|82|97}}) | awards = '''As player:''' * Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year (2002) * McDonald's All-American Game (1998) * Third-team ''Parade'' All-American (1998) * Mr. Basketball of Michigan (1998) }} '''Dane Fife''' (born July 26, 1979) is an American former college basketball player and assistant coach. Fife is the former head coach of the Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) Mastodons men's basketball team and a former college assistant coach at Michigan State University under Tom Izzo for ten years before leaving to become an assistant coach at his alma mater, Indiana University. He was let go by Indiana after one season.
==Playing career== Fife played basketball and football for Clarkston High School in Clarkston, Michigan. In basketball, he was coached by his father, Dan Fife. After his senior season in 1998, he was named Mr. Basketball of Michigan over runner-up Antonio Gates,<ref>{{cite web |title=Michigan High School Basketball Record Book |url=http://www.peschstats.com/MrBasketball.htm |website=peschstats.com}}</ref> and was also named a McDonald's All-American and Parade All-American. A blue-chip recruit in basketball and also a star quarterback, Fife was recruited to play both sports in college. He ultimately committed to play basketball for Indiana under head coach Bob Knight. He chose Indiana over Duke, Michigan State, and Michigan, where his father had played baseball and his older brother Dugan had played basketball. Fife became a vocal supporter of Knight,<ref>{{cite web |title=Fife on Knight's final team meeting: 'A unique and special moment' |url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/mensbasketball/2010-09-09-bob-knight-dane-fife-final-meeting_N.htm |website=USA Today |access-date=August 26, 2017 |archive-date=June 28, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628230117/http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/mensbasketball/2010-09-09-bob-knight-dane-fife-final-meeting_N.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> and nearly transferred from the team to Michigan State<ref>{{cite web |last=Rexrode |first=Joe |date=April 20, 2011 |title=Fife: 'I want to be part of something special' |url=http://noise.typepad.com/hey_joe/2011/04/fife-i-want-to-be-part-of-something-special.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110426123914/http://noise.typepad.com/hey_joe/2011/04/fife-i-want-to-be-part-of-something-special.html |archive-date=April 26, 2011 |access-date=April 21, 2011 |website=noise.typepad.com}}</ref> following the coach's firing in 2000.<ref>{{cite web |last=Mayo |first=David |date=December 19, 2009 |title=IPFW coach Dane Fife, Spartans' Tom Izzo maintain bond that started on recruiting trail |url=https://www.mlive.com/spartans/2009/12/ipfw_coach_dane_fife_spartans.html |access-date=February 28, 2024 |website=mlive.com}}</ref>
Fife was a starter for Indiana during their 2002 NCAA runner-up campaign. He finished his career with the Hoosiers having scored 736 total points. Fife also owns Indiana's all-time steals record (180) and earned the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year award his senior season.
One of the more well-known plays of his college career came on a controversial call during the final seconds of a 2002 Sweet Sixteen game against Duke. The Blue Devils were down by four points with enough time remaining for one play when Fife was called for fouling Jason Williams on a three-point shot. Williams' shot was good, and he was given the opportunity to tie the game with a free throw. Fortunately for Fife, Williams failed to make the free throw, and the Hoosiers advanced to the Elite Eight by holding on for a 74–73 win. Fife is often asked about the play and denies committing the foul to this day. The Hoosiers continued their NCAA Tournament run, defeating Kent State and Oklahoma before falling to Maryland in the national championship game, 64–52.
Fife played one season of professional basketball, in 2002 with the Gary Steelheads of the Continental Basketball Association.
==Career statistics== {{NBA player statistics legend}}
===College=== {{NBA player statistics start}} |- | style="text-align:left;"| 1998–99 | style="text-align:left;"| Indiana | 33 || 11 || 17.1 || .450 || .243 || .683 || 2.1 || 1.5 || 1.0 || .1 || 3.3 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 1999–2000 | style="text-align:left;"| Indiana | 27 || 22 || 23.5 || .455 || .227 || .800 || 3.0 || 2.0 || 1.8 || .2 || 4.9 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2000–01 | style="text-align:left;"| Indiana | 34 || 34 || 32.9 || .374 || .306 || .629 || 2.8 || 3.2 || 1.4 || .2 || 5.1 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2001–02 | style="text-align:left;"| Indiana | 37 || 37 || 32.7 || .461 || .478 || .702 || 2.6 || 2.5 || 1.4 || .2 || 8.7 {{S-end}}
==Coaching career==
===Assistant at Indiana=== Fife spent two seasons as an administrative assistant on the staff of Mike Davis at Indiana. During his time as an assistant, he concurrently earned a master's degree in athletic administration.<ref>{{cite web |title=Dane Fife - Men's Basketball Coach |url=https://iuhoosiers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/dane-fife/3152 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240417195508/https://iuhoosiers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/dane-fife/3152 |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 17, 2024 |access-date=April 8, 2021 |website=Indiana University Athletics}}</ref>
===Head coach of IPFW=== Fife was named head coach of the IPFW Mastodons basketball team in 2005 at the age of 25, becoming the youngest head coach in NCAA basketball history at the time.<ref name="Gazette">{{cite web |last=Warden |first=Steve |date=December 4, 2010 |title=Mastodons off to best start as D-I team |url=http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20101204/SPORTS0305/312049948/1085/SPORTS03 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120316003344/http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20101204/SPORTS0305/312049948/1085/SPORTS03 |archivedate=March 16, 2012 |website=journalgazette.net}}</ref> In his first season, he led the Mastodons to 10 wins, the most the team had earned in a season since jumping to Division I in 2001.<ref name="Gazette"/> In his fifth season as coach, the 2009–10 Mastodons squad posted their first-ever winning record as a Division I basketball team.<ref name="Gazette"/> Upon joining the Summit League in the 2007–08 season, the Mastodons finished no worse than fifth place in conference play under Fife.
Before the 2010–11 season, Fife had considered assistant coaching jobs at Indiana under Tom Crean and Michigan under John Beilein.<ref>{{cite web |last=Davis |first=Tom |date=April 20, 2010 |title=Dane Fife: 'I expect to be at IPFW next year' |url=http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100420/SPORTS/4200312/1002 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101230031507/http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20100420%2FSPORTS%2F4200312%2F1002 |archivedate=December 30, 2010 |website=news-sentinel.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.umhoops.com/2010/04/20/fife-turns-down-michigan/|title=Report: Dane Fife Turns Down Michigan|first=Dylan|last=Burkhardt|date=April 20, 2010|website=UM Hoops.com|accessdate=August 2, 2017}}</ref> He ultimately remained at IPFW, where he coached the team to a program-best 18–12 record.<ref>{{cite web |title=2016-17 Men's Basketball Schedule |url=https://gomastodons.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule/2016-17 |accessdate=February 28, 2024 |website=Purdue University Fort Wayne}}</ref>
Fife's teams at IPFW improved their winning percentage from the previous season in each year that Fife coached.
===Assistant at Michigan State=== Following the 2010–11 season Fife was contacted by Purdue basketball head coach Matt Painter to fill the associate head coach position. On April 15, 2011, Fife withdrew his name from consideration for the Purdue job.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20110415/BLOGS1002/110419646 |title=Purdue's next assistant could be from Butler |first=Stacy |last=Clardie |work=JournalGazette.net |date=April 15, 2011 |accessdate=October 17, 2022 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120316003404/http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20110415/BLOGS1002/110419646 |archivedate=March 16, 2012 |df=mdy }}</ref> Fife was named assistant coach at Michigan State by Tom Izzo on April 20, 2011. He replaced Mark Montgomery, who was named head coach at Northern Illinois in March 2011.<ref>{{cite web |date=April 20, 2011 |title=Fife Named Men's Basketball Assistant Coach |url=http://www.msuspartans.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/042011aaa.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170802205913/http://www.msuspartans.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/042011aaa.html |archive-date=August 2, 2017 |accessdate=August 2, 2017 |website=msuspartans.com}}</ref>
Fife brought the defensive intensity he possessed as a player to his role as a coach, as the Spartans held opponents below a .400 field-goal percentage from 2011 to 2015, including ranking second nationally in both 2015–16 (.382) and in 2011–12 (.379), marking the best effort by MSU since 1959. He is also instrumental in MSU's scouting and recruiting efforts. Jeff Goodman and Jay Bilas of ESPN.com named Fife one of the best head coaching candidates in the nation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/msu/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2016-17/misc_non_event/16-17MediaGuide.pdf|title=16–17 Michigan State Spartans|author=<!--None listed-->|year=2016|publisher=Michigan State University|access-date=October 17, 2022|archive-date=April 15, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190415035346/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/msu/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2016-17/misc_non_event/16-17MediaGuide.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
On March 23, 2017, it was rumored that Fife was close to accepting the head coaching position at Duquesne, but shortly thereafter it was reported that he had declined the position.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Charboneau |first=Matt |date=2017-03-23 |title=Report: MSU's Dane Fife not taking Duquesne hoops job |url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/college/michigan-state-university/2017/03/23/report-msus-dane-fife-taking-duquesne-hoops-job/99539682 |access-date=2024-02-28 |work=The Detroit News |language=en}}</ref> His name was also mentioned as a possibility for the vacant head coaching position at his alma mater, Indiana, in both 2017 and 2021.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Warnemuende |first=Jeremy |date=2017-03-24 |title=Michigan State's Tom Izzo feels for Tom Crean, wouldn't discourage Dane Fife if Indiana came calling |url=https://247sports.com/college/michigan-state/Article/michigan-states-tom-izzo-feels-for-tom-crean-wouldnt-discourage-dane-fife-if-indiana-came-calling-51935092 |access-date=2024-02-28 |work=SpartanTailgate}}</ref>
===Assistant at Indiana=== On April 5, 2021, it was announced that Fife would be leaving Michigan State to join Mike Woodson's staff at Indiana.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 5, 2021 |title=Fife returns to Indiana to join Woodson's staff |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/31199469 |access-date=February 28, 2024 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref> On March 23, 2022, Woodson announced that he had decided not to retain Fife and he would not be returning to the coaching staff.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dopirak |first=Dustin |date=March 23, 2022 |title=Dane Fife won't return to IU coaching staff: 'I'm a Hoosier today, and I'll be a Hoosier tomorrow' |url=https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/indiana/2022/03/23/indiana-basketball-assistant-dane-fife-wont-return-iu-coaching-staff/7145383001 |access-date=February 28, 2024 |website=indystar.com}}</ref>
==Personal life== Fife is the son of Clarkston High School head coach and former Minnesota Twins pitcher Danny Fife.<ref>{{cite news |last=Berkow |first=Ira |author-link=Ira Berkow |date=February 18, 2006 |title=Division I's Youngest Coach Is Finding His Own Way |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/18/sports/ncaabasketball/18fife.html |access-date=February 28, 2024 |newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref> He is the younger brother of former Michigan basketball captain Dugan Fife.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.usbasket.com/coach.asp?Cntry=USA&CoachID=12410&AmNotSure=1 |title=Dane Fife basketball profile |url-access=subscription }}</ref>
==Head coaching record== {{CBB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | conference = | postseason = | poll = no }} {{CBB Yearly Record Subhead | name = IPFW Mastodons | startyear = 2005 | conference = Independent | endyear = 2006 }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2005–06 | name = IPFW | overall = 10–18 | conference = | confstanding = | postseason = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CBB Yearly Record Subhead | name = IPFW Mastodons | startyear = 2006 | conference = United Basketball Conference | endyear = 2007 }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2006–07 | name = IPFW | overall = 12–17 | conference = 6–4 | confstanding = 3rd | postseason = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CBB Yearly Record Subhead | name = IPFW Mastodons | startyear = 2007 | conference = The Summit League | endyear = 2011 }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | season = 2007–08 | name = IPFW | overall = 13–18 | conference = 9–9 | confstanding = 5th | postseason = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | season = 2008–09 | name = IPFW | overall = 13–17 | conference = 8–10 | confstanding = 5th | postseason = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | season = 2009–10 | name = IPFW | overall = 16–15 | conference = 9–9 | confstanding = 5th | postseason = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | season = 2010–11 | name = IPFW | overall = 18–12 | conference = 11–7 | confstanding = 4th | postseason = | awards = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal | name = IPFW | overall = 82–97 ({{winpct|82|97}}) | confrecord = 43–39 ({{winpct|43|39}}) }} {{CBB Yearly Record End | overall = 82–97 ({{winpct|82|97}}) | poll = no | polltype = }}
==References== {{Reflist|2}} ==External links== *[https://msuspartans.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/dane-fife/50 Michigan State Profile]
{{IPFW Mastodons men's basketball coach navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fife, Dane}} Category:1979 births Category:Living people Category:American men's basketball coaches Category:American men's basketball players Category:Basketball coaches from Michigan Category:Basketball players from Oakland County, Michigan Category:College men's basketball head coaches in the United States Category:Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball coaches Category:Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball players Category:Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons men's basketball coaches Category:McDonald's High School All-Americans Category:Michigan State Spartans men's basketball coaches Category:Parade High School All-Americans (boys' basketball) Category:Sportspeople from Clarkston, Michigan