Dennis Vinzant
Biographical details
Born(1906-08-23)August 23, 1906
DiedJune 22, 1976(1976-06-22) (aged 69)
Wichita Falls, Texas, U.S.
Playing career
Football
1926Texas Tech
1928–1929Texas Tech
Basketball
1925–1927Texas Tech
1928–1930Texas Tech
Position(s)End
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1931–1935Greenville HS (TX) (assistant)
1936–1941East Texas State (line)
1942East Texas State
1946–1954Tulane (assistant)
1955–?Midwestern (TX) (line)
Basketball
1936–1946East Texas State
1956–1970Midwestern (TX)
Baseball
1952–1954Tulane
Head coaching record
Overall4–3–1 (football)
351–214 (basketball)
37–22–1 (baseball)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Football
1 LSC (1942)

Basketball
3 LSC regular season (1939–1940, 1942)

Dennis Ivan Vinzant (August 23, 1906 – June 22, 1976) was an American football, basketball, and baseball. He served as the head basketball coach at East Texas State Teachers College—now known a Texas A&M University–Commerce—from 1936 to 1946 and Midwestern University—now known as Midwestern State University—in Wichita Falls, Texas from 1956 to 1970, compiling a career college basketball coaching record of 351–214. Vinzant was also the head football coach at East Texas State in 1942, tallying a mark of 4–3–1, and the head baseball coach at Tulane University from 1952 to 1954, amassing a record of 37–22–1.

Vinzant attended North Side High School in Fort Worth, Texas, where he played football.[1] He then moved on to Texas Tech University, where he played football as an end. He also lettered in basketball and track before graduating in 1931. He earned a master's degree from East Texas State in 1937.

Vinzant began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Greenville High School in Greenville, Texas under Henry Frnka. He was appointed head coach at Greenville in 1936 when Frnka left to take a job as freshman coach at Vanderbilt University. But Vinzant then left for East Texas State to become head basketball coach and line coach for the football team, succeeding, S. J. "Red" Perry Jr., who had died of a cerebral hemorrhage.[2][3]

In 1946, Vinzant reunited with Frnka, who had been hired as the head football coach at Tulane, when he was he was appointed as chief assistant to Frnka.[4]

Vinzant died of cancer, on June 22, 1976, at hospital in Wichita Falls.[5][6]

Head coaching record

Football

Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
East Texas State Lions (Lone Star Conference) (1942)
1942 East Texas State 4–3–12–0–11st
East Texas State: 4–3–12–0–1
Total:4–3–1
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

Basketball

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
East Texas State Lions (Lone Star Conference) (1937–1945)
1936–37 East Texas State 13–95–3
1937–38 East Texas State 15–94–4
1938–39 East Texas State 16–77–1T–1stNAIA Second Round
1939–40 East Texas State 23–77–11stNAIA Second Round
1940–41 East Texas State 11–124–43rd
1941–42 East Texas State 12–66–2T–1st
1942–43 East Texas State 5–102–43rd
1943–44 No team
1944–45 East Texas State 3–6
1945–46 East Texas State 12–86–4T–2nd
East Texas State: 105–6941–23
Midwestern Indians (NAIA independent) (1956–1970)
1956–57 Midwestern 10–5
1957–58 Midwestern 9–16
1958–59 Midwestern 12–12
1959–60 Midwestern 18–15NAIA First Round
1960–61 Midwestern 12–16
1961–62 Midwestern 22–5
1962–63 Midwestern 17–8
1963–64 Midwestern 20–6
1964–65 Midwestern 28–6NAIA Second Round
1965–66 Midwestern 26–6NAIA Second Round
1966–67 Midwestern 21–11NAIA Second Round
1967–68 Midwestern 19–9NAIA District 8 Playoffs
1968–69 Midwestern 14–19NAIA District 8 Playoffs
1969–70 Midwestern 18–11
Midwestern: 246–145
Total:351–214

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

Baseball

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Tulane Green Wave (Southeastern Conference) (1952–1954)
1952 Tulane 14–5–111–42nd
1953 Tulane 11–98–74th
1954 Tulane 12–810–63rd
Tulane: 37–22–129–17
Total:37–22–1

References

  1. ↑ "Fort Worth Boys Who Are Wearing Togs of Matadors". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Fort Worth, Texas. October 24, 1929. p. 16. Retrieved February 16, 2022 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  2. ↑ "Dennis Vinzant Takes Etex Coaching Post". The Austin Statesman. Austin, Texas. Associated Press. August 27, 1936. p. 11. Retrieved February 16, 2022 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  3. ↑ "Funeral For Red Petty, Former Aggie Athlete, at Decatur on Friday". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Fort Worth, Texas. August 20, 1936. p. 16. Retrieved February 16, 2022 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  4. ↑ "Vinzant Assistant to Frnka at Tulane U." The Times. Shreveport, Louisiana. Associated Press. February 3, 1946. p. 19. Retrieved February 16, 2022 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  5. ↑ "Dennis Vinzant, Ex Coach, Dies". Wichita Falls Record News. Wichita Falls, Texas. June 23, 1976. p. 1A. Retrieved February 16, 2022 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  6. ↑ Buss, Ted (July 25, 1976). "Dennis Vinzant: 'Coach' went before his name". Wichita Falls Times. Wichita Falls, Texas. p. 2B. Retrieved February 16, 2022 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
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