Wagner College Athletics

In 2002-03, Dereck Whittenburg was head coach of the lone Wagner men's basketball team to win the Northeast Conference (NEC) Championship and accompanying NCAA Tournament bid. Named the 2002-03 NEC Coach of the Year, ‘Whitt” had the distinction of being the first men's basketball coach in Wagner's Division I era with a career winning percentage of over .500 (67-50-overall; 46-30 NEC). Additionally, he was the first Wagner men's basketball coach in the D-I era to achieve two post-season tournament bids. (2002 NIT and 2003 NCAA). All told, he coached and helped develop seven players who went on to play professionally overseas in: Jermaine Hall, Dedrick Dye, Nigel Wyatte, Doug Viegas, Courtney Pritchard, Sean Munson, and DeEarnest McLemore. The coach of an exciting brand of basketball, the former NC State star and member of the 1983 Wolfpack’s national championship team under Jim Valavno, Whittenburg’s teams led the NEC in scoring in three of his four seasons at Wagner. During his time on Grymes Hill, his teams also paced the league in: FG % (2002-03) 47.0%, 3pt FG % (2002-03) 38.2%, FT% (1999-00) .716, Scoring Margin (2002-03) 3.2, Assists/Game 2X (1999-00) 17.2 (2000-01) 17.3, Steals 2X (1999-00) 309 (2000-01) 292.

Presenter: Jacqueline Whittenburg - Wife