Head Coach

Joel DePagter (Lawrence '98)

EMAIL Coach DePagter: joel.t.depagter@lawrence.edu

In just two seasons, Head Coach Joel DePagter (class of 1998) has 41 coaching victories, the 6th most of any coach in the 104-year history of Lawrence Basketball.  His overall record (41-10), with a .804 winning percentage, is the highest of any coach in Lawrence Basketball history.  In both seasons as head coach, the Lawrence Basketball team has played in the NCAA Division III National Tournament and finished both seasons ranked #18 in the nation by d3hoops.com.  DePagter took over the Lawrence University men's basketball team in March of 2007 and guided them to back-to-back Midwest Conference Championships and NCAA Division III Tournament appearances.  The Men's Basketball team finished with an overall record of 19-7 in the 2008-2009 season, including a 13-3 conference record, the Midwest Conference regular season championship, and the Midwest Conference Tournament Championship.  DePagter also led his team into the NCAA Division III National Tournament, the 5th time in 6 years, and at year's end was named the 2008-09 Midwest Conference Coach of the Year.  Thus, becoming the first man in the history of the Midwest Conference to be named the MWC Player of the Year (1997) and MWC Coach of the Year (2009).

DePagter, who also serves at the Lawrence University Head Golf Coach, was an assistant coach at Lawrence for the prior 4 seasons before being named head coach of the program.  As a player from 1995-1998, DePagter led the Vikings to the 1997 Midwest Conference Championship, its first in 54 years, and the school's 1st-ever berth in the NCAA Division III National Basketball Tournament. 

Since arriving as an assistant in the fall of 2003, the Lawrence men's basketball program has achieved great success.  In DePagter's first year as an assistant, the team went 24-5 and was a shot away from going to the Division III Final Four.   During DePagter's 4 seasons as an assistant at Lawrence, the Vikings' record is an impressive 82-22 with 3 Midwest Conference Championships and 3 NCAA Division III Tournament berths.

DePagter was a three-time 1st-team All-Midwest Conference selection and the 1997 MWC Player of the Year.  The Sheboygan native is eighth on the all-time scoring list with 1,243 points.  He is first in career assists (357) and steals (211).  DePagter has three of the top four seasons in school history for assists and holds the record at 137.  He is 1-2-3 on the season steals list and holds the mark at 77 steals.  In the fall of 2008 (Friday, October 24th - 2008), DePagter was inducted into the Lawrence University Athletic Hall of Fame for his playing career while at Lawrence from 1995-98. 

DePagter, a Sheboygan native,  took over the Lawrence Men's Golf team in the fall of 2004 and led his team to the 2005 Midwest Conference Golf Championship - the school's first Golf title in 56 years.  DePagter, who has a bachelor's degree in history, is a 1998 graduate of Lawrence.  He received his master's degree in Sport Administration from Central Michigan University.

Head Coach Joel DePagter with the senior class of 2009 - Malibu Beach, California