Dave Rose: Mormon Coach

David Jack Rose is a university basketball coach and former basketball player. He is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

He is known for turning the Brigham Young University Cougar basketball team from 9-21 losing record to 20-9 winning record. He is also known for recruiting Jimmer Fredette in 2007. Under his leadership BYU has played in seven NCAA tournaments and two NITs. His streak of nine-consecutive 20-win seasons ties the team for 20th all-time in NCAA history and ties them for the 10th longest current streak.

Rose was born on December 19, 1957, and played high school basketball in Houston, Texas. He was co-captain of “Phi Slama Jama,” the University of Houston’s basketball squad that included Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler and finished as national runner-up in the 1983 NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Houston and also played baseball and basketball at Dixie State College.

In June 2009, Rose underwent emergency surgery to stop internal bleeding and his spleen and a portion of his pancreas were removed. Lab results from the surgery indicated that he had tested positive for pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor cancer, a slow-growing non-aggressive type. He was treated and was back coaching the Cougars that season. Every six months, Rose receives a scan to monitor the disease. In August 2013, doctors discovered a cancerous tumor about the size of half a peanut, as well as other cancerous spots for which he had surgery.

He has been head coach at BYU since 2005. He received an extension that will keep him coaching there through the 2019–2020 season. He was the BYU associate head coach from 2000 to 2005 and assistant coach from 1997 to 2000. He was Dixie State head coach from 1990 to 1997 and assistant coach from 1987 to 1990. He also coached high school basketball at Pine View High School (1986 to 1987) and at Millard High School (1983 to 1986).

He is a three-time MWC Coach of the Year (2006, 2007, 2011); two-time USBWA District VIII Coach of the Year (2006, 2011); Naismith Coach of the Year Finalist in 2011; finalist for the Clair Bee Award in 2010; and honorable mention for National Coach of the Year by Scout.com (2006).

He and his wife, Cheryl, are the parents of three children.