University of Tennessee Athletics
DeVoe Selected for Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame
April 11, 2024 | Men's Basketball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Former University of Tennessee head men's basketball coach Don DeVoe is set for induction into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame.
Slated for April 20 at the Hilton Polaris in Columbus, Ohio, this will be the Hall's 17th ceremony. DeVoe is one 13 inductees—12 individuals and one team—set for enshrinement.
DeVoe was born in Sabina, Ohio, and raised in nearby Port William, Ohio. He is a two-time graduate of Ohio State, where he played from 1961-64 and averaged 10.5 points per game as a senior. During his three active seasons there, the Buckeyes went 62-14 and won the Big Ten regular season title every year, plus finished No. 1 in the AP Poll and played for the national title in 1961-62.
The leader of the Volunteers for 11 years, from 1978-89, DeVoe led the team to some of the most successful campaigns in program history. In his first season at the helm, 1978-79, DeVoe led Tennessee to its first SEC Tournament title in 36 years. Then, in 1981-82, his Volunteers claimed a share of the SEC regular season crown.
DeVoe guided Tennessee to six NCAA Tournament appearances and three NIT trips. That stretch included five straight NCAA Tournament berths to begin his tenure, with the Volunteers winning a game in the event each season after previously owning a 0-4 record. In 1980-81, DeVoe's third year, Tennessee reached the Sweet 16 for the first time ever.
In six different seasons, DeVoe steered Tennessee to an AP top-20 ranking, including a No. 15 finish in 1980-81, then tied for the third-best ending in program history. In both 1980-81 and 1982-83, the Volunteers ascended as high as eighth nationally.
DeVoe, who put the Volunteers in the postseason seven years in a row, helmed six 20-win teams during his Tennessee tenure, including five in a row. He concluded his 11-year run with a 204-137 (.598) record, still good for the second-most wins in Tennessee history, and a 107-91 (.540) mark in SEC play.
Across his 11 campaigns at Tennessee, DeVoe coached numerous standout players. Included on that list are several All-Americans and/or future NBA players: Terry Crosby, Dale Ellis, Reggie Johnson, Ian Lockhart, Dyron Nix, Doug Roth, Tony White and Howard Wood. DeVoe also won SEC Coach of the Year three times: 1978-79, 1980-81 and 1981-82.
Before coming to Knoxville, DeVoe served as the head coach at Wyoming for two seasons, leading the Cowboys to a 29-25 record from 1976-78. Prior to that, he was the head coach at Virginia Tech for five campaigns, 1971-76, directing the Hokies to an 88-45 ledger, including a 1973 NIT title and a 1976 NCAA Tournament bid.
DeVoe worked as a graduate assistant at Ohio State in 1970-71, with the Buckeyes going 20-6, winning the Big Ten regular season title and reaching the Elite Eight. His first college coaching position came at Army West Point, where he worked from 1965-70 during the first five years of Bob Knight's tenure. The Black Knights tallied a 91-37 record during that time, with Mike Krzyzewski a three-time letter winner during that span.
After concluding his Tennessee tenure in 1989, DeVoe served as the interim head coach at Florida in 1989-90. Including his time with the Gators, DeVoe has 110 SEC victories, a figure that still puts him in the top 20 all-time.
DeVoe worked as the head coach at Navy for 12 years, 1992-2004, compiling a 184-161 ledger with five regular season Patriot League titles, four 20-win campaigns, three Patriot League Tournament crowns and three NCAA Tournament bids. DeVoe won Patriot League Coach of the Year thrice with the Midshipmen: 1993-94, 1996-97 and 1999-2000.
Over his 31 seasons as a head coach, DeVoe amassed a 512-389 (.568) record, 12 20-win campaigns, 10 NCAA Tournament trips, nine seasons with an AP top-25 ranking, six league regular season titles, four NIT nods and four conference tournament championships.
A six-time conference coach of the year who directed three different programs to the NCAA Tournament, DeVoe is a member of the Clinton County Sports Hall of Fame and the Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame. In 2010, he was tabbed an SEC Legend.
In 2006, two years after retiring from coaching, DeVoe joined the NIT Selection Committee, on which he served for 10 years. DeVoe, 81, now resides in Annapolis, Md., with his wife, Ana.
To keep up with the University of Tennessee men's basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.
Slated for April 20 at the Hilton Polaris in Columbus, Ohio, this will be the Hall's 17th ceremony. DeVoe is one 13 inductees—12 individuals and one team—set for enshrinement.
DeVoe was born in Sabina, Ohio, and raised in nearby Port William, Ohio. He is a two-time graduate of Ohio State, where he played from 1961-64 and averaged 10.5 points per game as a senior. During his three active seasons there, the Buckeyes went 62-14 and won the Big Ten regular season title every year, plus finished No. 1 in the AP Poll and played for the national title in 1961-62.
The leader of the Volunteers for 11 years, from 1978-89, DeVoe led the team to some of the most successful campaigns in program history. In his first season at the helm, 1978-79, DeVoe led Tennessee to its first SEC Tournament title in 36 years. Then, in 1981-82, his Volunteers claimed a share of the SEC regular season crown.
DeVoe guided Tennessee to six NCAA Tournament appearances and three NIT trips. That stretch included five straight NCAA Tournament berths to begin his tenure, with the Volunteers winning a game in the event each season after previously owning a 0-4 record. In 1980-81, DeVoe's third year, Tennessee reached the Sweet 16 for the first time ever.
In six different seasons, DeVoe steered Tennessee to an AP top-20 ranking, including a No. 15 finish in 1980-81, then tied for the third-best ending in program history. In both 1980-81 and 1982-83, the Volunteers ascended as high as eighth nationally.
DeVoe, who put the Volunteers in the postseason seven years in a row, helmed six 20-win teams during his Tennessee tenure, including five in a row. He concluded his 11-year run with a 204-137 (.598) record, still good for the second-most wins in Tennessee history, and a 107-91 (.540) mark in SEC play.
Across his 11 campaigns at Tennessee, DeVoe coached numerous standout players. Included on that list are several All-Americans and/or future NBA players: Terry Crosby, Dale Ellis, Reggie Johnson, Ian Lockhart, Dyron Nix, Doug Roth, Tony White and Howard Wood. DeVoe also won SEC Coach of the Year three times: 1978-79, 1980-81 and 1981-82.
Before coming to Knoxville, DeVoe served as the head coach at Wyoming for two seasons, leading the Cowboys to a 29-25 record from 1976-78. Prior to that, he was the head coach at Virginia Tech for five campaigns, 1971-76, directing the Hokies to an 88-45 ledger, including a 1973 NIT title and a 1976 NCAA Tournament bid.
DeVoe worked as a graduate assistant at Ohio State in 1970-71, with the Buckeyes going 20-6, winning the Big Ten regular season title and reaching the Elite Eight. His first college coaching position came at Army West Point, where he worked from 1965-70 during the first five years of Bob Knight's tenure. The Black Knights tallied a 91-37 record during that time, with Mike Krzyzewski a three-time letter winner during that span.
After concluding his Tennessee tenure in 1989, DeVoe served as the interim head coach at Florida in 1989-90. Including his time with the Gators, DeVoe has 110 SEC victories, a figure that still puts him in the top 20 all-time.
DeVoe worked as the head coach at Navy for 12 years, 1992-2004, compiling a 184-161 ledger with five regular season Patriot League titles, four 20-win campaigns, three Patriot League Tournament crowns and three NCAA Tournament bids. DeVoe won Patriot League Coach of the Year thrice with the Midshipmen: 1993-94, 1996-97 and 1999-2000.
Over his 31 seasons as a head coach, DeVoe amassed a 512-389 (.568) record, 12 20-win campaigns, 10 NCAA Tournament trips, nine seasons with an AP top-25 ranking, six league regular season titles, four NIT nods and four conference tournament championships.
A six-time conference coach of the year who directed three different programs to the NCAA Tournament, DeVoe is a member of the Clinton County Sports Hall of Fame and the Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame. In 2010, he was tabbed an SEC Legend.
In 2006, two years after retiring from coaching, DeVoe joined the NIT Selection Committee, on which he served for 10 years. DeVoe, 81, now resides in Annapolis, Md., with his wife, Ana.
To keep up with the University of Tennessee men's basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.
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