# Dane Fife > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Dane_Fife > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Dane_Fife.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dane_Fife > Source revision: 1352607864 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{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](/source/Clarkston%2C_Michigan), U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | alma_mater = | player_years1 = 1998–2002 | player_team1 = [Indiana](/source/Indiana_Hoosiers_men's_basketball) | player_years2 = 2002 | player_team2 = [Gary Steelheads](/source/Gary_Steelheads) | coach_years1 = 2003–2005 | coach_team1 = Indiana (grad assistant) | coach_years2 = 2005–2011 | coach_team2 = [IPFW](/source/Purdue_Fort_Wayne_Mastodons_men's_basketball) | coach_years3 = 2011–2021 | coach_team3 = [Michigan State](/source/Michigan_State_Spartans_men's_basketball) (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](/source/McDonald's_All-American_Game) ([1998](/source/1998_McDonald's_All-American_Boys_Game)) * Third-team [''Parade'' All-American](/source/Parade_All-America_Boys_Basketball_Team) (1998) * [Mr. Basketball of Michigan](/source/Mr._Basketball_of_Michigan) (1998) }} '''Dane Fife''' (born July 26, 1979) is an American former [college basketball](/source/college_basketball) player and assistant coach. Fife is the former head coach of the [Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne](/source/Indiana_University%E2%80%93Purdue_University_Fort_Wayne) (IPFW) [Mastodons men's basketball team](/source/Purdue_Fort_Wayne_Mastodons_men's_basketball) and a former college assistant coach at [Michigan State University](/source/Michigan_State_University) under [Tom Izzo](/source/Tom_Izzo) for ten years before leaving to become an assistant coach at his alma mater, [Indiana University](/source/Indiana_University_Bloomington). He was let go by Indiana after one season. ==Playing career== Fife played basketball and football for [Clarkston High School](/source/Clarkston_High_School_(Michigan)) in [Clarkston, Michigan](/source/Clarkston%2C_Michigan). In basketball, he was coached by his father, Dan Fife. After his senior season in 1998, he was named [Mr. Basketball of Michigan](/source/Mr._Basketball_of_Michigan) over runner-up [Antonio Gates](/source/Antonio_Gates),{{cite web |title=Michigan High School Basketball Record Book |url=http://www.peschstats.com/MrBasketball.htm |website=peschstats.com}} and was also named a [McDonald's All-American](/source/McDonald's_All-American) and [Parade All-American](/source/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](/source/Indiana_Hoosiers_men's_basketball) under head coach [Bob Knight](/source/Bob_Knight). He chose Indiana over [Duke](/source/Duke_Blue_Devils_men's_basketball), [Michigan State](/source/Michigan_State_Spartans_men's_basketball), and [Michigan](/source/Michigan_Wolverines_men's_basketball), where his father had played baseball and his older brother Dugan had played basketball. Fife became a vocal supporter of Knight,{{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](/source/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 }} and nearly transferred from the team to Michigan State{{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}} following the coach's firing in 2000.{{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}} Fife was a starter for [Indiana](/source/2001%E2%80%9302_Indiana_Hoosiers_men's_basketball_team) during their [2002 NCAA runner-up](/source/2002_NCAA_Division_I_men's_basketball_tournament) 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](/source/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](/source/2001%E2%80%9302_Duke_Blue_Devils_men's_basketball_team). The Blue Devils were down by four points with enough time remaining for one play when Fife was called for fouling [Jason Williams](/source/Jay_Williams_(basketball)) 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](/source/Kent_State_Golden_Flashes_men's_basketball) and [Oklahoma](/source/2001%E2%80%9302_Oklahoma_Sooners_men's_basketball_team) before falling to [Maryland](/source/2001%E2%80%9302_Maryland_Terrapins_men's_basketball_team) in the national championship game, 64–52. Fife played one season of professional basketball, in 2002 with the [Gary Steelheads](/source/Gary_Steelheads) of the [Continental Basketball Association](/source/Continental_Basketball_Association). ==Career statistics== {{NBA player statistics legend}} ===College=== {{NBA player statistics start}} |- | style="text-align:left;"| [1998–99](/source/1998%E2%80%9399_NCAA_Division_I_men's_basketball_season) | style="text-align:left;"| [Indiana](/source/1998%E2%80%9399_Indiana_Hoosiers_men's_basketball_team) | 33 || 11 || 17.1 || .450 || .243 || .683 || 2.1 || 1.5 || 1.0 || .1 || 3.3 |- | style="text-align:left;"| [1999–2000](/source/1999%E2%80%932000_NCAA_Division_I_men's_basketball_season) | style="text-align:left;"| [Indiana](/source/1999%E2%80%932000_Indiana_Hoosiers_men's_basketball_team) | 27 || 22 || 23.5 || .455 || .227 || .800 || 3.0 || 2.0 || 1.8 || .2 || 4.9 |- | style="text-align:left;"| [2000–01](/source/2000%E2%80%9301_NCAA_Division_I_men's_basketball_season) | style="text-align:left;"| [Indiana](/source/2000%E2%80%9301_Indiana_Hoosiers_men's_basketball_team) | 34 || 34 || 32.9 || .374 || .306 || .629 || 2.8 || 3.2 || 1.4 || .2 || 5.1 |- | style="text-align:left;"| [2001–02](/source/2001%E2%80%9302_NCAA_Division_I_men's_basketball_season) | style="text-align:left;"| [Indiana](/source/2001%E2%80%9302_Indiana_Hoosiers_men's_basketball_team) | 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](/source/Mike_Davis_(basketball%2C_born_1960)) at [Indiana](/source/Indiana_Hoosiers_men's_basketball). During his time as an assistant, he concurrently earned a [master's degree](/source/master's_degree) in athletic administration.{{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}} ===Head coach of IPFW=== Fife was named head coach of the [IPFW Mastodons basketball team](/source/IPFW_Mastodons_men's_basketball) in 2005 at the age of 25, becoming the youngest head coach in NCAA basketball history at the time.{{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}} 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. In his fifth season as coach, the 2009–10 Mastodons squad posted their first-ever winning record as a Division I basketball team. Upon joining the [Summit League](/source/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](/source/Tom_Crean_(basketball)) and Michigan under [John Beilein](/source/John_Beilein).{{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}}{{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}} He ultimately remained at IPFW, where he coached the team to a program-best 18–12 record.{{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}} 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](/source/2010%E2%80%9311_NCAA_Division_I_men's_basketball_season) Fife was contacted by [Purdue](/source/Purdue_Boilermakers_men's_basketball) basketball head coach [Matt Painter](/source/Matt_Painter) to fill the associate head coach position. On April 15, 2011, Fife withdrew his name from consideration for the Purdue job.{{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](/source/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 }} Fife was named assistant coach at Michigan State by Tom Izzo on April 20, 2011. He replaced [Mark Montgomery](/source/Mark_Montgomery_(basketball)), who was named head coach at [Northern Illinois](/source/Northern_Illinois_Huskies_men's_basketball) in March 2011.{{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}} 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](/source/2015%E2%80%9316_Michigan_State_Spartans_men's_basketball_team) (.382) and in [2011–12](/source/2011%E2%80%9312_Michigan_State_Spartans_men's_basketball_team) (.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](/source/Jay_Bilas) of [ESPN.com](/source/ESPN.com) named Fife one of the best head coaching candidates in the nation.{{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=|year=2016|publisher=[Michigan State University](/source/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}} On March 23, 2017, it was rumored that Fife was close to accepting the head coaching position at [Duquesne](/source/Duquesne_Dukes_men's_basketball), but shortly thereafter it was reported that he had declined the position.{{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}} His name was also mentioned as a possibility for the vacant head coaching position at his alma mater, [Indiana](/source/Indiana_Hoosiers_men's_basketball), in both 2017 and 2021.{{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}} ===Assistant at Indiana=== On April 5, 2021, it was announced that Fife would be leaving Michigan State to join [Mike Woodson](/source/Mike_Woodson)'s staff at [Indiana](/source/Indiana_Hoosiers_men's_basketball).{{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}} On March 23, 2022, Woodson announced that he had decided not to retain Fife and he would not be returning to the coaching staff.{{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}} ==Personal life== Fife is the son of [Clarkston High School](/source/Clarkston_High_School_(Michigan)) head coach and former [Minnesota Twins](/source/Minnesota_Twins) pitcher [Danny Fife](/source/Danny_Fife).{{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}} He is the younger brother of former Michigan basketball captain Dugan Fife.{{cite web |url=http://www.usbasket.com/coach.asp?Cntry=USA&CoachID=12410&AmNotSure=1 |title=Dane Fife basketball profile |url-access=subscription }} ==Head coaching record== {{CBB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | conference = | postseason = | poll = no }} {{CBB Yearly Record Subhead | name = [IPFW Mastodons](/source/Purdue_Fort_Wayne_Mastodons_men's_basketball) | startyear = 2005 | conference = [Independent](/source/NCAA_Division_I_independent_schools_(basketball)) | endyear = 2006 }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = [2005–06](/source/2005%E2%80%9306_NCAA_Division_I_men's_basketball_season) | 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](/source/United_Basketball_Conference) | endyear = 2007 }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = [2006–07](/source/2006%E2%80%9307_NCAA_Division_I_men's_basketball_season) | 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](/source/The_Summit_League) | endyear = 2011 }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | season = [2007–08](/source/2007%E2%80%9308_NCAA_Division_I_men's_basketball_season) | name = IPFW | overall = 13–18 | conference = 9–9 | confstanding = 5th | postseason = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | season = [2008–09](/source/2008%E2%80%9309_NCAA_Division_I_men's_basketball_season) | name = IPFW | overall = 13–17 | conference = 8–10 | confstanding = 5th | postseason = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | season = [2009–10](/source/2009%E2%80%9310_NCAA_Division_I_men's_basketball_season) | name = IPFW | overall = 16–15 | conference = 9–9 | confstanding = 5th | postseason = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | season = [2010–11](/source/2010%E2%80%9311_NCAA_Division_I_men's_basketball_season) | 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 --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Dane Fife](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dane_Fife) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dane_Fife?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.