Former Ladyjacks' Head Coach, Gary Blair, Inducted into Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame
4/1/2023 11:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Former Stephen F. Austin women's basketball head coach, Gary Blair, was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame for his accomplishments as one of the top women's basketball coaches at the collegiate level. The announcement was made today at the Final Four Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2023 induction at NRG Stadium.
Blair began his head coaching experience at the college level at SFA in 1985 and remained in Nacogdoches for eight years before his move to Arkansas at the end of the 1992-93 season. During his tenure with the Ladyjacks, Blair led SFA to seven straight conference championships and appeared in the NCAA Tournament six times. The Ladyjacks were ranked in the final AP Top 25 polls during his final six seasons with the team. The success started by Blair was widely noticed by the fans and the community, which led to an increase in fan attendance. The large increase in fan attendance put the school in the top 12 of NCAA Division I attendance leaders. In his eight years as a Ladyjack's head coach, Blair put together a record of 210-43, 104-8 against conference opponents.
Blair, who was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013, was a women's basketball head coach at the collegiate level for 37 years (1985-2022), overseeing the programs of Stephen F. Austin, Arkansas, and Texas A&M. Blair is listed in the top 35 for the most wins as a women's basketball coach at the Division I level with 852 wins. In his 37 years as a collegiate head coach, Blair reached the postseason 28 times, including 23 NCAA Tournament appearances and Final Four appearances in 1998 with Arkansas and 2011 with Texas A&M. His 2011 run with the Aggies ended with a national championship. At the conclusion of his coaching career in 2022, Blair had an overall head coaching record of 852-348 (.710 winning %).
Blair's coaching excellence won him Southland Conference Coach of the Year five times (1988, 1990-93). He was later nominated as Southland Conference Hall of Honor inductee in 2009.
On December 2, 2008, the Ladyjacks hosted the Texas A&M Aggies, coached by Blair at the time, and was inducted to the Ladyjack Hall of Fame in a halftime ceremony.
Coaching Record at SFA
Gulf Star Conference
1985-86: 16-12, 7-3
1986-87: 25-6, 9-1, Conference Champs, WNIT Third Round
Southland Conference
1987-88: 29-5, 13-1, Conference Champs, Nationally ranked #11, NCAA Second Round
1988-89: 30-4, 13-1, Conference Champs, Nationally ranked #11, NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1989-90: 28-3, 14-0, Conference Champs, Nationally ranked #6, NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1990-91: 25-6, 14-0, Conference Champs, Nationally ranked #14, NCAA Second Round
1991-92: 28-3, 17-1, Conference Champs, Nationally ranked #4, NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1992-93: 28-5, 17-1, Conference Champs, Nationally ranked #12, NCAA Sweet Sixteen
Total: 210-43 (.830), 104-8 (.929), 6x Southland Conference Champion / Gulf Star Conference Champion, 6 NCAA Tournament Appearances
Blair began his head coaching experience at the college level at SFA in 1985 and remained in Nacogdoches for eight years before his move to Arkansas at the end of the 1992-93 season. During his tenure with the Ladyjacks, Blair led SFA to seven straight conference championships and appeared in the NCAA Tournament six times. The Ladyjacks were ranked in the final AP Top 25 polls during his final six seasons with the team. The success started by Blair was widely noticed by the fans and the community, which led to an increase in fan attendance. The large increase in fan attendance put the school in the top 12 of NCAA Division I attendance leaders. In his eight years as a Ladyjack's head coach, Blair put together a record of 210-43, 104-8 against conference opponents.
Blair, who was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013, was a women's basketball head coach at the collegiate level for 37 years (1985-2022), overseeing the programs of Stephen F. Austin, Arkansas, and Texas A&M. Blair is listed in the top 35 for the most wins as a women's basketball coach at the Division I level with 852 wins. In his 37 years as a collegiate head coach, Blair reached the postseason 28 times, including 23 NCAA Tournament appearances and Final Four appearances in 1998 with Arkansas and 2011 with Texas A&M. His 2011 run with the Aggies ended with a national championship. At the conclusion of his coaching career in 2022, Blair had an overall head coaching record of 852-348 (.710 winning %).
Blair's coaching excellence won him Southland Conference Coach of the Year five times (1988, 1990-93). He was later nominated as Southland Conference Hall of Honor inductee in 2009.
On December 2, 2008, the Ladyjacks hosted the Texas A&M Aggies, coached by Blair at the time, and was inducted to the Ladyjack Hall of Fame in a halftime ceremony.
Coaching Record at SFA
Gulf Star Conference
1985-86: 16-12, 7-3
1986-87: 25-6, 9-1, Conference Champs, WNIT Third Round
Southland Conference
1987-88: 29-5, 13-1, Conference Champs, Nationally ranked #11, NCAA Second Round
1988-89: 30-4, 13-1, Conference Champs, Nationally ranked #11, NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1989-90: 28-3, 14-0, Conference Champs, Nationally ranked #6, NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1990-91: 25-6, 14-0, Conference Champs, Nationally ranked #14, NCAA Second Round
1991-92: 28-3, 17-1, Conference Champs, Nationally ranked #4, NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1992-93: 28-5, 17-1, Conference Champs, Nationally ranked #12, NCAA Sweet Sixteen
Total: 210-43 (.830), 104-8 (.929), 6x Southland Conference Champion / Gulf Star Conference Champion, 6 NCAA Tournament Appearances
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