Dale Layer
Current position
TitleSpecial Assistant to the Head Coach
TeamTexas A&M
ConferenceSEC
Biographical details
Born (1958-05-16) May 16, 1958 (age 68)
Gainesville, Florida, U.S.
Playing career
1976–1980Eckerd
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1980–1982Eckerd (assistant)
1982–1983Eastern Kentucky (assistant)
1983–1988Eckerd (assistant)
1989–1998Queens (NC)
1998–2000Colorado State (assistant)
2000–2007Colorado State
2007–2008Liberty (assistant)
2008–2009Marquette (assistant)
2009–2015Liberty
2016–2017Greensboro Swarm (assistant)
2017–2018Mercer (asst.)
2018–2019Virginia Tech (special asst.)
2019–presentTexas A&M (special asst.)
Head coaching record
Overall352–306
Tournaments0–2 (NCAA Division I)
1–2 (NCAA Division II)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Awards

Dale Layer (born May 16, 1958) is an American basketball coach, currently a special assistant to the head coach at Texas A&M in College Station, Texas.[1] Previously he served as an assistant coach for the Greensboro Swarm of the NBA Development League. He was previously the head coach of the Liberty Flames men's basketball team. He was fired by the university on March 5, 2015, after finishing the season with only a 2–16 conference record and an 8–24 overall record.[2] It marks his second stint as a coach at Liberty; he spent the 2007–2008 campaign as an assistant to Ritchie McKay.[3]

Biography

Eckerd College

Layer started his coaching career in 1980 after graduating from his alma mater Eckerd College with a bachelors degree in psychology.[4] He spent seven of the next eight years at Eckerd, and was an assistant at Eastern Kentucky University during the 1982–1983 season.[5]

Queens University of Charlotte

He then made the jump to the head coaching ranks, accepting a job at Queens University of Charlotte. He amassed 167 wins against 87 losses in nine years as the head coach, and also served as the school's athletic director.[6]

Colorado State University

In 1998, Layer accepted a job at Colorado State as an assistant after Ritchie McKay accepted the head coaching position. Layer helped lead the Rams to an NIT appearance in 1999, defeating Mississippi State and Colorado before losing to the eventual champion, California.[7]

Layer was hired as head coach at CSU on April 11, 2000, after McKay left. Layer guided the team to its first NCAA Tournament bid in 13 years, in 2003. He was twice voted the region's coach of the year by the National Basketball Coaches Association.[6] He was fired in 2007 although he had a year left on his contract. He finished with a 103–106 record (and 31–71 in conference play).[8][9]

Liberty University

He rejoined McKay's staff shortly after McKay accepted the job at Liberty University. Layer stayed for a year before heading off to be an assistant to head coach Buzz Williams at Marquette.[10]

After the 2008–2009 season, McKay left Liberty and accepted a job as associate head coach at the University of Virginia. Liberty contacted Layer about filling the head coaching vacancy, and Layer accepted.[2] Layer led the 2012–13 team to a surprise Big South championship and an NCAA bid with a 15–20 record. He was fired in 2015, finishing with 82-113 record.[11]

Greensboro Swarm

On September 26, 2016, Layer was appointed an assistant coach of the Greensboro Swarm, a new NBA Development League franchise.[12] On June 13, 2017, Layer joined Mercer University as an assistant coach.[13]

Personal life

Layer is married to Brenda Peterson, they have three children.[4]

Head coaching record

Record table
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Queens Royals (Conference Carolinas) (1989–1998)
1989–90 Queens 11–17
1990–91 Queens 20–8
1991–92 Queens 14–13
1992–93 Queens 20–8
1993–94 Queens 14–12
1994–95 Queens 17–10
1995–96 Queens 25–6 NCAA Division II Sweet 16
1996–97 Queens 22–7
1997–98 Queens 24–6 NCAA Division II First Round
Queens: 167–87
Colorado State Rams (Mountain West Conference) (2000–2007)
2000–01 Colorado State 15–13 6–8 T–4th
2001–02 Colorado State 12–18 3–11 T–7th
2002–03 Colorado State 19–14 5–9 6th NCAA Division I First Round
2003–04 Colorado State 13–15 4–10 T–7th
2004–05 Colorado State 11–17 3–11 T–7th
2005–06 Colorado State 16–15 4–10 8th
2006–07 Colorado State 17–13 6–10 T–6th
Colorado State: 103–106 35–69
Liberty Flames (Big South Conference) (2009–2015)
2009–10 Liberty 15–16 10–8 6th
2010–11 Liberty 19–13 13–5 2nd
2011–12 Liberty 14–18 9–9 5th
2012–13 Liberty 15–21 6–10 5th (North) NCAA Division I First Four
2013–14 Liberty 11–21 5–11 5th (North)
2014–15 Liberty 8–24 2–16 11th
Liberty: 82–113 45–59
Total: 352–306

      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

  1. ^ Sis, Matej (August 22, 2018). "Buzz Williams welcomes a new coach to the Virginia Tech staff". 247sports.com. Retrieved August 22, 2018.
  2. ^ a b Marquette assistant to coach Liberty
  3. ^ "Dale Layer picked as new head coach for Liberty men's basketball". Liberty News. Retrieved May 11, 2025.
  4. ^ a b "Dale Layer (2011) - Eckerd College Athletics Hall of Fame". Eckerd College Athletics. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
  5. ^ "Dale Layer - Head Coach - Men's Basketball Coaches". Liberty University. Retrieved May 11, 2025.
  6. ^ a b "Dale Layer (2010) - Royals Hall of Fame". Queens University of Charlotte Athletics. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
  7. ^ "MarquetteWatch.com – Williams Adds Dale Layer To Staff As An Assistant". rivals.com. May 4, 2008. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
  8. ^ "Colorado St. axes coach Layer after seven years". ESPN.com. March 12, 2007. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
  9. ^ Post, Natalie Meisler | The Denver (March 12, 2007). "Layer out after 7 years". The Denver Post. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
  10. ^ Kiszla, Mark (March 20, 2025). "Mark Kiszla: Here's sure way to move tough-as-nails Texas A&M coach Buzz Williams to verge of tears". Denver Gazette. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
  11. ^ AP. "Former CSU basketball coach Dale Layer fired at Liberty". Fort Collins Coloradoan. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
  12. ^ "Swarm Finalize Coaching Staff". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. September 26, 2016. Archived from the original on October 14, 2016. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  13. ^ "Ex-Colorado, Liberty head coach joining Mercer basketball staff". macon.com. Macon Telegraph. June 13, 2017. Retrieved June 13, 2017.