‘It’s been an honor to be your coach’

Saturday, Feb. 27 marked the end of a legend’s coaching career and the beginning of a new day – Dan Hays Day.

Hays took his position as head coach one last time and celebrated the end of a 38-year coaching career, 33 of which he coached the Eagles. Before his team stepped onto the court a tribute video of various coaches, sports announcers and former players from across the nation played on the gym screens.

With a packed Eagles Nest, the team took on the UTPB Falcons. A sluggish start left Oklahoma Christian University trailing by seven points before a string of 3-pointers brought the Eagles back into the competition.

The Falcons triple-guarded John Moon and forced Oklahoma Christian to look for alternative offensive strategies, including shooting 12-27 from behind the arc.

The Eagles kept a close hold to UTPB and trailed 38-35 at halftime. Multiple times in the second half the team slipped behind to a 10-point deficit but worked to slowly fight its way back. The final buzzer left the Falcons as the 89-81 victors to end the Eagles and Hays’ season.

After the game, Oklahoma Christian President John deSteiguer, Athletic Director Curis Janz and the Oklahoma House of Representatives’ Mike Sanders conducted a presentation in honor of Hays’ career and Oklahoma’s official “Dan Hays Day.”

“The 700 wins, the championships, all those things will fade but the true legacy of Dan Hays are the boys who came to Oklahoma Christian and grew to be men,” Janz said. “It’s not un-masculine to tell people that you love them and I truly love Coach Hays.”

Sanders, a former announcer for the Lady Eagles basketball team, presented Hays with a gift on behalf of the Oklahoma House of Representatives.

“Whereas the Oklahoma House of Representatives takes pride in honoring coach Hays for his success in collegiate basketball and the positive impact he’s made on his student athletes,” Sanders said. “Whereas the Oklahoma House of Representatives in the 55th legislature has proclaimed today, Saturday, Feb. 27, 2016, across the state of Oklahoma as Dan Hays Day.”

In a final parting with the university, Hays said, “it’s been a great ride” at Oklahoma Christian.

“I told Curtis I’m not a crybaby but man I’m about to explode here,” Hays said. “This reminded me of the old days, I’m so happy to see a full Eagles Nest. Thank you guys so much, it’s been an honor to be your coach.”

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