David Buchanan recently completed his fourth season as head men's basketball coach at Carroll University, and seventh season overall as a collegiate coach.
Buchanan has enjoyed four successful seasons at Carroll, leading the Pioneers to 63 victories, including 18 wins in 2013, tied for 2nd most victories in a season all time in the 109 year history of men’s basketball. Buchanan’s 63 wins are the fifth highest win total by a coach in program history. Pioneer success under Buchanan’s leadership has also included three trips to the Midwest Conference Tournament Championship game and the Midwest Conference Tournament Championship in 2012.
The men’s basketball program also earned its third trip in program history to the NCAA Tournament in 2012, and enjoyed an opening round victory or #16 nationally ranked Transylvania University on their home floor.
Buchanan has coached two honorable mention all-conference performers, four 2nd team all-conference performers, and one Midwest Conference Player of The Year. In 2010 John Hoch was named Player of The Year, 1st Team All Midwest Region, and 2nd Team All-American by the NABC. Hoch was also selected to participate in the inaugural NABC Division III All Star game in Salem, Virginia. Buchanan has also coached thirteen different academic all-conference selections, and one Academic All American.
Buchanan joined the Carroll staff after a successful three-year stint at the helm of the UW-Superior men's basketball program. In his short tenure at UW-Superior, the Yellowjackets went from being Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference afterthoughts to legitimate title contenders.
In his second season at UW-Superior, Buchanan led the Yellowjackets to a five-win improvement from the previous season and ended the year by advancing to the semifinals of the WIAC Tournament for the just the second time in school history. The team's fifth place regular season finish that year was its best WIAC finish since 1979.
Buchanan, a Watertown, Wis., native, was a standout collegiate basketball player at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, where he served as team captain and MVP for two seasons. Buchanan graduated in 1995 with a degree in Physical Education and was recognized for his academic success by being named to the NABC honors court.
Buchanan's coaching career began as a volunteer student assistant coach at UW-La Crosse. He then moved to Greenfield High School for his first head coaching position, leading the Hawks to their first Woodland Conference Championship in 31 years in just his second season. After five years at Greenfield, Buchanan had a short stop at Brookfield East High School before becoming head assistant men's basketball coach at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, an NCAA Division II member.
As the recruiting coordinator at Parkside, Buchanan recruited a regionally recognized class in just his first season. That recruiting class went on to eventually qualify for the 2007 NCAA Tournament.
Coach Buchanan is also an active member within the NABC serving as the Midwest Regional Representative for the NABC Division III All Star Game in Salem, VA. Additionally, Buchanan has served as the Midwest Region Representative on the NCAA Regional Rankings committee and currently serves on the NCAA Men’s Basketball Selection Committee.
Buchanan and his wife, Heather, live in Waukesha.
