Head Men’s Basketball Coach John Dyer, renowned for recruiting top student-athletes and producing a successful men’s basketball program since 2003, has left Vermont Tech to concentrate on serving as head coach and director of team operations for Dragonheart Vermont. Founded by Dyer and his wife, Linda, a breast cancer survivor, in 2003, Draghonheart Vermont supports teams of women — particularly breast cancer survivors — participating in dragon boat racing.
“Over the years John took a program which generally was considered to be non-competitive and was able to change the dynamics by perennially bringing in student-athletes who enhanced the competitive nature of the program,” said Jennifer Norton-Magnan, Director of Athletics. “John is a tough coach to replace, but hopefully the next coach will be able to fulfill the lofty expectations of the program that he built over the last nine seasons.”
Under Dyer’s direction, the team achieved:
- 155 wins
- 5 bids to the USCAA (United States Collegiate Athletic Association) Men’s National Basketball Tournament
- 3 YSCC (Yankee Small College Conference) Regular Season Championships
- 1 YSCC Tournament Championship (2011/2012)
- 1 YSCC Sportsmanship Award (2011/12)
Known for his tenacity, Dyer coached:
- 4 men who became 1,000 point scorers
- Vermont Tech’s all-time leading scorer Kevin Carr ’12 (2,295 points in 3 years)
- 12 USCAA All-Americans
- 19 YSCC All-Conference Recipients
- 3 YSCC Players of the Year
Two players coached by Dyer went on to play professionally: Clark Agnew ’06 for Mexico City and Nick Simpson ’11 for the Harlem Ambassadors. Alumnus Kevin Carr ’12 recently made the second level tryouts for the Canadian National Basketball Association.
“Coach Dyer brought a work ethic and intensity to the basketball court at Vermont Tech. He was a valuable resource for student athletes on and off the court, whether it was an academic, athletic or a personal decision we faced. He is a great coach, father, husband and friend. He strives to develop young men to do the same,” said Chris Taft an ‘05 and ’07 Vermont Tech alumnus.
Dyer received numerous honors during his career at Vermont Tech. He was named USCAA Athletic Director of the Year in 2006 and YSCC Coach of the Year in 2008/2009 and 2010/2011. He also received Coach of the Year honors in the Sunrise Conference in 2010/2011 and in 2009/2010, received NAIA Athletic Director of the Year honors for Region X.
“When all is said and done, it is the lasting relationships that matter most,” said Dyer. “I have been privileged to work with many fine young men at Vermont Tech. The final proof of a coach’s work emerges 10 years or more down the road after graduation. I’m confident that the college will be proud of the graduates from the basketball program from 2004 to 2012. They are a great group of fellows.”
Chris Leazier, who served as Assistant Coach this past season and has seventeen years of coaching experience at levels ranging from youths sports to the NBA Development League has been named Head Men’s Basketball Coach to succeed Dyer.
