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Stu Starner

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Stu Starner
Biographical details
Born(1943-04-08)April 8, 1943
Hoffman, Minnesota, U.S.
DiedJuly 17, 2024(2024-07-17) (aged 81)
Bozeman, Montana, U.S.
Playing career
1962–1965Minnesota–Morris
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1978–1979Minnesota (GA)
1979–1981Montana State (assistant)
1981–1983Minnesota (assistant)
1983–1990Montana State
1990–1995UTSA
Head coaching record
Overall194–153 (.559)
Tournaments0–1 (NCAA Division I)
0–1 (NIT)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Big Sky tournament (1986)
Big Sky regular season (1987)
TAAC regular season (1991)
Southland regular season (1992)
Awards
Big Sky Coach of the Year (1986)

Stuart John Starner (April 8, 1943 – July 17, 2024) was an American college basketball coach. He was an NCAA Division I head men's coach for eleven seasons for Montana State University and the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA).

Career

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Starner, a native of Hoffman, Minnesota, played basketball and football at the University of Minnesota Morris, graduating in 1965. After a successful high school coaching career in Wabasso and Richfield, Minnesota, Starner moved to the college ranks in 1978 as a graduate assistant at Minnesota. After assistant roles at Montana State and a second stint at Minnesota, Starner was hired as the head coach for Montana State in Bozeman, Montana in 1983.[1] In 1986, Starner's Bobcats won the 1986 Big Sky Conference tournament as the 6 seed, gaining the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament as the only team in the field with a losing overall record.[2] The following season, the Bobcats won the Big Sky Conference regular season title behind Conference Player of the Year Tom Domako.

In 1990, Starner took the unusual step of requesting a one-year sabbatical from his head coaching position at Montana State. His request was granted and assistant Mick Durham was named interim head coach.[3] However, Starner surprised the school two months later by accepting the head coaching position at UTSA.[4] Starner spent five seasons coaching the Roadrunners, Starner resigned in 1995 with an 84–58 record at the school. His teams won conference regular season championships in 1991 and 1992.[5]

Death

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Starner died in Bozeman, Montana on July 17, 2024, at the age of 81.[6]

Head coaching record

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Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Montana State Bobcats (Big Sky Conference) (1983–1990)
1983–84 Montana State 14–15 7–7 3rd
1984–85 Montana State 11–17 7–7 5th
1985–86 Montana State 14–17 6–8 6th NCAA Division I first round
1986–87 Montana State 21–8 12–2 1st NIT first round
1987–88 Montana State 19–11 10–6 3rd
1988–89 Montana State 14–15 6–10 6th
1989–90 Montana State 17–12 8–8 5th
Montana State: 110–95 (.537) 56–48 (.538)
UTSA Roadrunners (Trans America Athletic Conference) (1990–1991)
1990–91 UTSA 21–8 12–2 1st
UTSA Roadrunners (Southland Conference) (1991–1995)
1991–92 UTSA 21–8 15–3 1st
1992–93 UTSA 15–14 10–8 3rd
1993–94 UTSA 12–15 8–10 6th
1994–95 UTSA 15–13 11–7 2nd
UTSA: 84–58 (.592) 44–28 (.611)
Total: 194–153 (.559)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References

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  1. ^ "Montana State names Stu Starner basketball coach". Missoulian. April 5, 1983. p. 7. Retrieved August 9, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  2. ^ "Bozemen are big contrast to Redmen". Los Angeles Times. March 12, 1986. p. 27. Retrieved August 9, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  3. ^ "Montana St. allows Starner to take 1-year sabbatical". Billings Gazette. March 6, 1990. p. 15. Retrieved August 9, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  4. ^ "Texas school hires Starner". Missoulian. April 10, 1990. p. 21. Retrieved August 9, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  5. ^ "UTSA basketball coach resigns". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. March 16, 1995. p. 65. Retrieved August 9, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  6. ^ Legendary Former Bobcat Basketball Coach Stu Starner Passes Away
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