With a Portuguese mother (Dollie) and an Irish father (Pat), Dennis was born with a lot of passion and a little bit of luck, and he took neither for granted Growing up in Bend, Oregon.  Dennis played every sport possible and cut his teeth coaching his younger brother in baseball during high school.  He earned his diploma from Bend Senior High school in 1968, where he wore the Lava Bears jersey for all football and basketball seasons. Dennis knew early that teaching would be his calling, but coaching would be his passion. He attend­ed Souther Oregon College, where he earned a BS degree in Education, Health, & PE in 1972 and a Masters in 1979. He relished Medford’s abundance of sunshine, its rich history of successful coaching staffs and athletic teams, and its com­munity who enthusiastically supported sports at all levels.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

• In 1974-75 coached a Little League Girls’ team to a record of36-0. As head coach of the Medford Nationals All-Star team, won the Girls’ National Little League World Championship in Williamsport, Penn. in 1975.
• As the offensive/defensive line coach led St. Mary’s to 7 Conference titles and 3 State titles (79,80,81) in football from 1975-1982.
• In 1979 won the boys’ basketball State title beating Pilot Rock 65-61 and was named class “A” boys basketball Coach of the Year; had a career winning percentage of75% (90% in league), winning 3 league titles from 1975-82.
• Was head baseball coach at St Mary’s in 1976, 1977, and 1982, winning the Conference title all three years and the State title in 1982 and named Coach of the Year.
• As the South Medford boys’ basketball coach, won 11 Conference titles, the last 6 in succession; in 19 seasons has won over 380 games (77%); has won 6 holiday titles and finished runner-up 8 times. His South teams have been in the State tournament 6 times, runners-up in 2006 and State Champion in 2007. His 2007 hoopsters placed second at the Les Schwab Hoop Classic, holding nationally # I ranked Oak Hill Academy to a 9-point margin. In 2007 the Panthers placed
• 1st at the Bass Tournament of Champions in Missouri.
• He has been named the SOC Coach of the Year 7 times, NFHSCA 2001 State Coach of the Year, NFHSCA Regional
• Coach of the Year in 2005, and the Oregon 6A Coach of the Year in 2006.
• Chosen as assistant coach for Michael Jordan’s Nike All-American Classic (top 20 players in the nation) at Madison Square Garden.