Dean Ellis

Head Coach, Men's Basketball and Golf
E-mail: dellis@nmu.edu
Telephone: 906-227-2106
At NMU Since 1985

Beginning his 24th year as head men’s basketball coach at Northern Michigan University, Dean Ellis has etched his name in the NMU coaching record book.

He is the winningest coach in school history with a 358-278 record. He reached that level with a 66-54 win over Saginaw Valley State on Jan. 29, 2005. Two nights earlier, Ellis won his 300th game, against Lake Superior State (74-64).

Ellis has been on the NMU bench longer than anyone else in NMU history.

C.B. Hedgcock is next with 22 years as head coach. Ellis’ .562 winning percentage is also third-best among NMU coaches who were at the helm for at least 50 games.

 Under Ellis, the Wildcats have made 13 appearances in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) post-season tournament, won their first-ever GLIAC post-season championship, qualified three times for the NCAA II Great Lakes Regional Tournament and have had four seasons of 20 wins. His teams have won GLIAC titles in 1976-93-99 and 2000. The 1999-00 squad also captured the GLIAC Tournament. In addition, that team qualified for the NCAA II Great Lakes Regional Tournament. The 1998-99 team (21-8) and the 1992-93 team (22-8) also made tournament appearances.

The 1992-93 squad set numerous team records and won its first outright GLIAC title. That year, Ellis was selected GLIAC Coach of the Year.

Ellis served as Glenn Brown’s assistant for three seasons (1983-86) and helped guide the ‘Cats to the NCAA II playoffs in 1985.

In 1993, he became a two-sport coach at Northern Michigan, taking over the responsibility of the men’s golf team. An excellent golfer, he won the Upper Peninsula men’s amateur championship in 1981, as well as the club championship at Wawonowin Country Club (Ishpeming) in 1995.

In addition to his coaching duties, Ellis is director of NMU’s summer basketball camps and has served as a coach and counselor at several summer basketball camps throughout the state. He instituted the popular Young Wildcat Basketball League, a Sunday youth league.

A native of Negaunee, Mich., where he was a standout athlete, Ellis earned three collegiate letters in basketball and four in golf at Southwest Missouri State University. He transferred to Northern Michigan where he completed work on his bachelor’s degree in physical education in 1983.

He and his wife, Lois, are the parents of David and Daniel.  Both sons are currently attending Michigan State University and playing on the men’s golf team.