Dan Bonner
Current position
TitleAnalyst and color commentator
Biographical details
BornJuly 3, 1953
Pittsburgh
Playing career
1972–1975Virginia
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1975–1977Virginia (Women)
Head coaching record
Overall32–20 (.615)

Dan Bonner is an analyst and color commentator covering NCAA men's basketball and the NBA. He previously played basketball at the University of Virginia and coached the UVa women's team for two seasons. He also coached girls' basketball and soccer at Robert E. Lee High School in Staunton, Virginia.[1]

Playing career

Dan Bonner, a Pittsburgh native, played at Avonworth High School.[2] He attended the University of Virginia and played basketball from 1971 to 1975. In 1975 he was named captain and was named to the Academic All-Atlantic Coast Conference team.[3][4]

Coaching career

After his playing career, Dan Bonner was an assistant coach under Barbara Kelly at the University of Virginia for the first two seasons of women's basketball ever played. He succeeded her as head coach in 1975 leading the women's team to a 32–20 (.615) record over two seasons at the helm.[5][6]

Television career

He serves as an analyst for regular-season college basketball games[7] for CBS Sports,[3] ESPN (1987–2001[8] and 2019-present),[9] and the ACC Network. He has previously called games for Fox Sports and Raycom Sports. Bonner began calling ACC games for Jefferson Pilot Sports[1] in 1983 while a manager at a Social Security office in Staunton, Virginia.

Beginning in 1985, Bonner covered games for NCAA Productions' broadcasts of the NCAA Tournament.[10][11] Starting with the 1991 NCAA Tournament, Bonner began calling tournament games for CBS. Bonner has worked alongside many partners for the NCAA tournament, but his most frequent pairing has been with Kevin Harlan from 2004 to 2012 and again from 2015-present.

He is quoted as saying, "The Monday after Selection Sunday, I'm scrambling to learn all the teams that I'll have to do later in the week. And then I'm out on the road."[12]

His other broadcasting work includes play-by-play for baseball's Carolina League, women's college basketball, soccer play-by-play and an announcer for The ACC Regional Sports Networks coverage of ACC Baseball.

Personal

He was the assistant athletic director and assistant girls' soccer coach for Robert E. Lee High School (2004–2007), having previously coached the girls' basketball team from 1999 to 2003. He was named the Virginia Group AA Coach of the Year for the 2002–03 season.[3]

Dan is married to the former Terry Israel,[6] who was the team captain and MVP of the 1975–76 Lady Cavaliers team. The Bonners have three children: Coleman, Keary and Sarah.[1][9] He also was head coach for the West Point High School Basketball Team in West Point, Virginia.

References

  1. ^ a b c Bonner, Dan (February 16, 2011). "Interview with Dan Bonner". The Mike Wise Show with Holden Kushner (Interview). WJFK-FM.
  2. ^ PAHoops.com
  3. ^ a b c "CBS Sports Team – Dan Bonner (CBS Sports Analyst)" (Press release). CBS Sportsline. Archived from the original on 2006-12-29. Retrieved 2006-12-19.
  4. ^ Hite, Patrick (2004-02-06). "Inside the ACC with ... Dan Bonner". Augusta Free Press. Retrieved 2006-12-19.[dead link]
  5. ^ University of Virginia
  6. ^ a b "Player Bio: Debbie Ryan" (Press release). VirginiaSports.com. Archived from the original on 2007-01-02. Retrieved 2006-12-19.
  7. ^ Dopirak, Dustin (2006-03-15). "Zags? Yesterday's News – Staunton's Dan Bonner, a CBS Sports basketball analyst, isn't high on Gonzaga this year". Daily News Record. Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2006-12-19.
  8. ^ "Dan Bonner, the Tall Virginian, is as respected as they come in the ACC".
  9. ^ a b Bonner, Dan. "Chat with Dan Bonner on theACC.com". Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. Retrieved 2006-12-19.
  10. ^ Lindquist, Jerry (2005-03-17). "With little acclaim, Bonner's back in business for tourney". Richmond Times Dispatch. Retrieved 2006-12-19.[permanent dead link]
  11. ^ "University of Virginia". Archived from the original on 2016-01-18. Retrieved 2013-03-22.
  12. ^ Bonner, Dan. "Dan Bonner quotes". Archived from the original on 2012-07-10. Retrieved 2006-12-19.
Categories