Why Oregon Ducks Struck Gold With Dana Altman Hire

Since he was handed the key to the men's college basketball program in 2010-2011, Oregon Ducks coach Dana Altman has taken his team to the NCAA Tournament eight times. The banner for the 2016-17 Final Four team continues to glisten in the rafters of the Matthew Knight Arena.

Feb 19, 2025; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dana Altman reacts during the first half against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images / Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

In the words of the great Jon Rothstein, his name is Dana Altman and he solves Rubik's Cubes. He seems to turn on a switch before the start of February and March because this is where his teams become a brick wall that no one wants to run into.

The Oregon Ducks are riding a four-game winning streak and added a monumental resume victory on the road at the then No. 11 Wisconsin Badgers this past Saturday, a 77-73 win in overtime. Oregon came back from a 17-point deficit in the second half at the Kohl Center in Madison.

Feb 11, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dana Altman shakes hands with the Northwestern Wildcats players post game at Matthew Knight Arena. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images / Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

His commitment to the improvement of the Oregon basketball program since he stepped onto campus back in 2010 was immediately noticeable. In Eugene, college football is king. Altman's investment into the move to the Big Ten Conference and the name, image, and likeness (NIL) era at the age of 66 shows how much he wants to change that stigma.

The competition level against the likes of the Purdue Boilermakers, Indiana Hoosiers, Michigan State Spartans, Michigan Wolverines can prove just how talented of a coach and recruiter that Altman truly is.

"We wanted to be in the Big Ten. We asked to be in the league, and we're not complaining about travel or complaining about anything. We have made a few trips and our guys enjoy the new atmospheres. Different places to play."

- Dana Altman via Badgers Wire

Since Altman took over the coaching reins back in 2010-11, the Ducks have won 20+ games in all 15 seasons. Oregon is currently one of two Division-I men’s college basketball programs programs to win 20+ games in 15 straight seasons. The Gonzaga Bulldogs are the other one who have 28 straight 20+ win seasons in a row, dating back to 1997-98.

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Altman started his Division-I college basketball head coaching career with the Marshall Thundering Herd in Huntington way back in 1989-90. He had successful stops with the Kansas State Wildcats in Manhattan and Creighton Bluejays in Omaha along his journey.

In Altman's illustrious career, he has an overall record of 775-403. Back during the tenure in the Pac-12 Conference, he won the Pac-12 Coach of the Year three times (2013, 2015, 2016) and the Pac-12 Tournament title four times (2013, 2016, 2019, 2024) with the Ducks.

Apr 1, 2017; Glendale, AZ, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Roy Williams greets Oregon Ducks head coach Dana Altman before the game in the semifinals of the 2017 NCAA Men's Final Four at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

In the NCAA Tournament, Altman has danced 16 times and made the trip to the Final Four in 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona. The last time that Oregon program was in that position was way back in 1939 when "The Tall Firs" won the national championship over the Ohio State Buckeyes, 46-33.

The current Ducks are moving back up the national rankings as they stand at No. 32 in the NET rankings and are 9-6 in Quad 1 opportunities. The only other programs across the country that have more or the same amount of wins are the Auburn Tigers (14 wins), Tennessee Volunteers (nine wins), and Alabama Crimson Tide (nine wins).

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