{{Short description|American retired basketball coach|bot=PearBOT 5}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox college coach | name = Don Flanagan | image = | alt = | caption = | current_title = | current_team = | current_conference = | current_record = | contract = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1943|11|29}} | birth_place = Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | player_years1 = 1967–1971 | player_team1 = Fort Lewis | player_positions = Guard | coach_years1 = 1971–1973 | coach_team1 = Coronado HS (boys') | coach_years2 = 1973–1975 | coach_team2 = Pawcatuck MS (boys') | coach_years3 = 1975–1979 | coach_team3 = Window Rock HS (boys') | coach_years4 = 1979–1995 | coach_team4 = Eldorado HS | coach_years5 = 1995–2011 | coach_team5 = New Mexico | admin_years1 = | admin_team1 = | overall_record = 340–168 ({{Winning percentage|340|168}}) (college) | bowl_record = | tournament_record = 3–8 (NCAA)<br />5–5 (WNIT) | CFbDWID = | championships = *5× MW Tournament (2003–2005, 2007, 2008) *2× MW regular season (2004, 2005) *WAC tournament (1998) *WAC Pacific Division (1999) *11× NMAA Class 4A (1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1995) | awards = *MW Coach of the Year (2005) *WBCA Region 7 Coach of the Year (2006) | coaching_records = | CFBHOF_year = | CFBHOF_id = | BASKHOF_year = | BASKHOF_id = | CBBASKHOF_year = | CBASEHOF_year = | medaltemplates = | show-medals = }} '''Donald Elliott Flanagan''' (born November 29, 1943)<ref name="Congress"/><ref name="UNM 2007">{{citation|url=https://www.nmnathletics.com/fls/26000/old_site/pdf/w-baskbl/2007section1.pdf|title=Head Coach Don Flanagan|work=New Mexico [Women's] Basketball 2006–07|publisher=University of New Mexico|year=2006|page=33|accessdate=January 3, 2020}}</ref> is an American retired basketball coach. From 1995 to 2011, Flanagan was head coach of the University of New Mexico women's basketball team.
==Early life and college education== Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts and raised in the Mayberry Village community of New Hartford, Connecticut,<ref name="Congress">{{citation|author=Larson, John B.|author-link=John B. Larson|url=https://www.congress.gov/congressional-record/2002/04/26/extensions-of-remarks-section/article/E645-2|title=Honoring Donald Elliott Flanagan|work=Congressional Record, 107th Congress, 2nd Session|volume=148|issue=49|page=E645|date=April 25, 2002|accessdate=January 3, 2020}}</ref><ref name="made his mark">{{cite web|last1=Dyer|first1=Jessica|title=Lobo Basketball Coach Flanagan Made His Mark|url=http://www.abqjournal.com/234110/sports/college/lobo-basketball-coach-flanagan-made-his-mark.html|website=Albuquerque Journal|accessdate=March 28, 2016|date=April 5, 2011}}</ref> Flanagan graduated from Cornwall Academy after attending East Hartford High School for three years and earned a basketball scholarship to Hartwick College, but he dropped out after one year.<ref name="Courant 2003">{{cite web|last1=Riley|first1=Lori|title=Coach Brings Success To New Mexico|url=https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-xpm-2003-03-21-0303212123-story.html|website=Hartford Courant|accessdate=January 3, 2020|date=March 21, 2003}}</ref>
Flanagan worked in Hartford before moving to Durango, Colorado to enroll at Fort Lewis College in 1967.<ref name="Courant 2003"/> Flanagan graduated from Fort Lewis in 1971 with a double major in elementary education and physical education.<ref name="Fort Lewis">{{cite web|title=Hall of Fame: Don Flanagan, Class of 1971|url=http://www.goskyhawks.com/hof.aspx?hof=35&path=&kiosk=|publisher=Fort Lewis College Athletics|accessdate=March 28, 2016}}</ref> Flanagan played at guard for the Fort Lewis Skyhawks, then an NAIA program; he averaged 13.8 points and 5.3 rebounds in his junior season of 1969–70.<ref>http://web1.ncaa.org/app_data/statsPDFArchive/MBB2/A/Men's%20Basketball_Men's_College%20Division_1970_1083_Fort%20Lewis%20College.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}}</ref>
==Coaching career== Flanagan began his coaching career in 1971 as boys' varsity basketball coach at Coronado High School in Gallina, New Mexico; he also coached cross country and baseball there. In 1973, Flanagan returned to Connecticut to coach at Pawcatuck Middle School in Pawcatuck, Connecticut. At Pawcatabuck, Flanagan had a 15–0 season.<ref name="Courant 2003"/><ref name="not so dandy">{{cite web |last1 = Smith |first1 = Mark |title = Don had not-so-dandy beginning |url = http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:NewsBank:CLDB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0EAC55CCD6E18A08&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=0D0CB579A3BDA420&p_openurl=NewsBank |website = Albuquerque Journal |accessdate = March 28, 2016 |date = March 6, 1996 |archiveurl = https://archive.today/20160329052738/http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/0EAC55CCD6E18A08?p=AWNB |archivedate = March 29, 2016 |url-status = dead }}</ref> Flanagan returned to the Southwest in 1975 as boys' varsity basketball coach at Window Rock High School in Fort Defiance, Arizona. Window Rock went 75–25 and made the state tournament every year under Flanagan, including as state runner-up in 1978.<ref name="not so dandy"/>
From 1979 to 1995, Flanagan was the girls' basketball head coach at Eldorado High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he had a record of 401–13 and 11 New Mexico Activities Association Class 4A championships for the years 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, and 1995. Flanagan was inducted into the Albuquerque Sports Hall of Fame in 1997.<ref name="UNM"/><ref>[http://www.nmact.org/file/Basketball%20Girls%20Coaches%20Champions.pdf New Mexico Girls State Basketball Champions]. New Mexico Activities Association. Accessed March 30, 2016.</ref>
As women's basketball coach at the University of New Mexico, Flanagan coached 508 collegiate games, which as of March 7, 2014, is a feat no coach has done in New Mexico basketball history.<ref name="UNM">{{cite news|url=http://www.nmnathletics.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=26000&ATCLID=209094720|title=Don Flanagan|newspaper=Golobos.com |publisher=University of New Mexico Athletics|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807144658/http://www.golobos.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/flanagan_don00.html|archivedate=August 7, 2011|accessdate=March 27, 2016}}</ref> As of March 2014, he holds the title of most wins by any coach, men's or women's, at the school with 340 victories. He passed former UNM Men's Basketball coach Dave Bliss's 246 wins on December 9, 2006. From 1998 to 2010, Flanagan's teams made the NCAA tournament or Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) every year. Flanagan's New Mexico teams made seven NCAA Tournaments and six WNITs.
On April 4, 2011, Flanagan announced his resignation, following a 13–18 season and with a year remaining on his contract. He finished his coaching career with the Lobos with a record of 340 wins to 168 losses. Prior to his resignation, five freshmen players left the team. Flanagan responded: "It wasn't fair to the program for me to stay and try to recruit multiple players with one year left on my contract."<ref>{{cite web|last1=Sickenger|first1=Ken|title=End of an Era: UNM's Flanagan resigns|url=http://www.abqjournal.com/234109/sports/college/flanagan-resigns.html|website=Albuquerque Journal|accessdate=March 28, 2016|date=April 5, 2011}}</ref> With that resignation, Flanagan retired from coaching.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abqjournal.com/443770/sports/flangan-enjoying-retirement.html|title=Flanagan enjoying retirement|author=Sickenger, Ken|work=Albuquerque Journal|date=August 10, 2014|accessdate=March 28, 2016}}</ref> Assistant coach Yvonne Sanchez, who had been an assistant coach under Flanagan since 2000, succeeded Flanagan as head coach on April 22, 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.golobos.com/coaches.aspx?rc=50&path=wbball|title=Yvonne Sanchez|publisher=University of New Mexico Athletics |date=2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151003073645/http://www.golobos.com/coaches.aspx?path=wbball&rc=50|archivedate=October 3, 2015}}</ref>
==Head coaching record== {{CBB yearly record start | type = coach | conference = | postseason= }} {{CBB Yearly Record Subhead | name =New Mexico Lobos | conference=Western Athletic Conference | startyear =1995 | endyear =1999 }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 1995–96 | name = New Mexico | overall = 14–15 | conference = 6–8 | confstanding = 5th | postseason = }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 1996–97 | name = New Mexico | overall = 18–10 | conference = 8–8 | confstanding = 4th (Mountain) | postseason = }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = conference tournament | season = 1997–98 | name = New Mexico | overall = 26–7 | conference = 10–4 | confstanding = T–3rd (Mountain) | postseason = NCAA first round }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = division | season = 1998–99 | name = New Mexico | overall = 24–7 | conference = 12–2 | confstanding = T–1st (Pacific) | postseason = WNIT Third Round }} {{CBB yearly record subtotal | name = New Mexico (WAC) | overall = 82–39 ({{Winning percentage|82|39}}) | confrecord = 36–22 ({{Winning percentage|36|22}}) }} {{CBB Yearly Record Subhead | name =New Mexico Lobos | conference=Mountain West Conference | startyear =1999 | endyear =2011 }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 1999–2000 | name = New Mexico | overall = 18–11 | conference = 9–5 | confstanding = T–3rd | postseason = WNIT First Round }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 2000–01 | name = New Mexico | overall = 22–13 | conference = 8–6 | confstanding = T–3rd | postseason = WNIT Runner Up }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 2001–02 | name = New Mexico | overall = 22–9 | conference = 10–4 | confstanding = T–2nd | postseason = NCAA first round }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = conference tournament | season = 2002–03 | name = New Mexico | overall = 24–9 | conference = 9–5 | confstanding = 2nd | postseason = NCAA Sweet 16 }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = confboth | season = 2003–04 | name = New Mexico | overall = 23–8 | conference = 12–2 | confstanding = T–1st | postseason = NCAA first round }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = confboth | season = 2004–05 | name = New Mexico | overall = 26–5 | conference = 12–2 | confstanding = T–1st | postseason = NCAA first round }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 2005–06 | name = New Mexico | overall = 22–10 | conference = 11–5 | confstanding = T–3rd | postseason = NCAA second round }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = conference tournament | season = 2006–07 | name = New Mexico | overall = 24–9 | conference = 11–5 | confstanding = T–2nd | postseason = NCAA first round }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = conference tournament | season = 2007–08 | name = New Mexico | overall = 20–13 | conference = 9–7 | confstanding = 4th | postseason = NCAA first round }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 2008–09 | name = New Mexico | overall = 25–11 | conference = 9–7 | confstanding = 4th | postseason = WNIT Quarterfinals }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 2009–10 | name = New Mexico | overall = 19–13 | conference = 9–7 | confstanding = T–5th | postseason = WNIT First Round }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 2010–11 | name = New Mexico | overall = 13–18 | conference = 5–11 | confstanding = 7th | postseason = }} {{CBB yearly record subtotal | name = New Mexico (MW) | overall = 258–129 ({{Winning percentage|258|129}}) | confrecord = 114–66 ({{Winning percentage|114|66}}) }} {{CBB yearly record end | overall = 340–168 ({{Winning percentage|340|168}}) }}
Sources: *WAC standings:<ref name="WAC standings">{{cite web |url=http://nmnathletics.com//pdf8/723649.pdf |title=WAC Standings |pages=81–82 |work=2010–11 Women's Basketball Media Guide |publisher=Western Athletic Conference |year=2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160410011609/http://nmnathletics.com//pdf8/723649.pdf |archivedate=2016-04-10 }}</ref> *MW standings:<ref name="MW standings">{{cite web |url = https://s3.amazonaws.com/sidearm.sites/mountainwest.sidearmsports.com/documents/2017/6/19/15_16_wbb_guide.pdf |title = Annual standings |work = 2015–16 Mountain West Women's Basketball Media Guide |publisher = Mountain West Conference |year = 2015 |pages = 114–116 }}</ref> *Postseason results:<ref>{{cite web|title=All-time results|url=http://sidearm.sites.s3.amazonaws.com/unm.sidearmsports.com/documents/2015/8/4/UPDATED_HISTORY_AND_RECORDS_2014_15.pdf|work=2015–16 New Mexico Lobo Women's Basketball Media Guide|publisher=University of New Mexico|year=2015|pages=157–159}}{{Dead link|date=February 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{New Mexico Lobos women's basketball coach navbox}}{{Mountain West Conference Women's Basketball Coach of the Year navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Flanagan, Don}} Category:1943 births Category:Living people Category:American women's basketball coaches Category:Basketball coaches from Connecticut Category:Basketball coaches from Massachusetts Category:Basketball players from Connecticut Category:Basketball players from Massachusetts Category:Fort Lewis Skyhawks men's basketball players Category:High school basketball coaches in the United States Category:New Mexico Lobos women's basketball coaches Category:People from New Hartford, Connecticut Category:Sportspeople from Cambridge, Massachusetts Category:American men's basketball players Category:Guards (basketball) Category:20th-century American sportsmen