Joe Cravens

Joseph Dale Cravens (born March 9, 1954) is a former American college basketball coach. He was the head coach at Idaho,[1] Weber State, and the interim head coach at Utah for most of a season.[2][3]

Joe Cravens
Biographical details
Born (1954-03-09) March 9, 1954
Scottsburg, Indiana, U.S.
Playing career
1972–1974Brunswick JC
1974–1976Texas–Arlington
Position(s)Guard
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1977–1978Texas–Arlington (asst.)
1978–1981Southwest Texas State (asst.)
1981–1985Texas–Arlington (asst.)
1985–1989Washington (asst.)
1989–1993Utah (asst.)
1989–1990Utah (interim HC)
1993–1996Idaho
1996–1997UC Irvine (asst.)
1997–1999Weber State (asst.)
1999–2006Weber State
Head coaching record
Overall170–141 (.547)

Born and raised in Scottsburg, Indiana, Cravens played college basketball at Brunswick Junior College in Georgia and transferred to Texas–Arlington for his final two seasons. He was an assistant coach for a year at his alma mater, then at Southwest Texas State in San Marcos for three years, and returned to Texas–Arlington.

In 1985, he joined the staff of new head coach Andy Russo at Washington in Seattle for four years in the Pac-10, then went to Utah under new head coach Rick Majerus in 1989. In mid-December, Majerus required major heart surgery and Cravens took over as interim head coach of the Utes in the WAC for the remainder of that first season.[2]

After four years in Salt Lake City, Cravens was hired as head coach at Idaho in Moscow in April 1993, succeeding Larry Eustachy,[1][4][5] and led the Vandals on the Palouse for three seasons.[6][7][8] After Idaho, he coached in Switzerland that summer, then was an assistant at UC Irvine for a season,[9] and for two more back in the state of Utah at Weber State in Ogden under Ron Abegglen.[10] Promoted to head coach in March 1999,[10][11] he compiled a 116–88 (.569) record in seven seasons. Cravens led the 2003 team to an undefeated (14–0) record in the Big Sky Conference (26–6 overall), but the Wildcats fell to fifth-seed Wisconsin in the NCAA tournament's first round at Spokane.[12]

After collegiate coaching

Cravens is a college basketball analyst on the MountainWest Sports Network; he formerly coached girls' basketball at St. Joseph Catholic High School in Ogden. In his second year as coach at St. Joseph, Cravens led his girls to the 2011–12 1-A state championship. They defeated Milford 29–23 in the opening round, Manila 51–23 in the quarterfinals, Piute 63–41 in the semifinals, and heavily favored and defending 1-A champion Rich 45–34 in the finals.

Despite losing several key players after their first title, Cravens led the defending champs to an undefeated season in 2012–13, including victory in their second state title game over Piute, 39–29. He stepped down as coach after the 2015 season, but remained at the school as a counselor.

Head coaching record

NCAA Division I

Statistics overview
Season Coach Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Utah Utes (WAC) (1989–1990)
1989–90 Utah 12–127–96th
Utah (interim): 12–12 (.500)7–9 (.438)
Idaho Vandals (Big Sky) (1993–1996)
1993–94 Idaho 18–109–53rd
1994–95 Idaho 12–156–86th
1995–96 Idaho 12–165–96th
Idaho: 42–41 (.506)20–22 (.476)
Weber State Wildcats (Big Sky) (1999–2006)
1999–00 Weber State 18–1010–6t-4th
2000–01 Weber State 15–148–8t-4th
2001–02 Weber State 18–118–63rd
2002–03 Weber State 26–614–01stNCAA first round
2003–04 Weber State 15–147–72rd
2004–05 Weber State 14–167–75th
2005–06 Weber State 10–174–10t-7th
Weber State: 116–88 (.569)58–44 (.569)
Total:170–141 (.547)

      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

  • Cravens became interim head coach at Utah prior to the seventh game of the 1989–90 season.[2]

References
  1. Meehan, Jim (April 9, 1993). "Cravens takes Vandals' reins". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. C1.
  2. Robinson, Doug (December 14, 1989). "Just call him anonymous". Deseret News. (Salt Lake City, Utah). p. D1.
  3. "Joe Cravens". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 16 August 2011. Retrieved 9 October 2010.
  4. Powell, Charlie (April 9, 1993). "Idaho's new coach". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. (Idaho-Washington). (photo). p. 1A.
  5. Jacobson, Bryan (April 9, 1993). "Cravens gets Idaho post". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. (Idaho-Washington). p. 1B.
  6. Sullivan, Tim (March 11, 1996). "Idaho fires Cravens after turbulent year". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. (Idaho-Washington). p. 1C.
  7. Sullivan, Tim (March 12, 1996). "Cravens feels betrayed after sudden firing by UI". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. (Idaho-Washington). p. 1B.
  8. Eckles, Dan (March 12, 1996). "Cravens out at Idaho". Argonaut. (Moscow, Idaho). (University of Idaho). p. 14.
  9. Weyler, John (July 10, 1996). "UC Irvine hires assistant coach for men's basketball". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 27, 2018.
  10. Rock, Brad (March 22, 1999). "Weber replaces Abegglen with assistant coach Cravens". Deseret News. (Salt Lake City, Utah). p. D1.
  11. "Weber tabs ex-Vandal as its coach". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. March 23, 1999. p. C3.
  12. Stewart, Mark (March 21, 2003). "Badgers foil their critics". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. p. 1C.
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