Page 21 - DBU Basketball Media Guide 2022

HEAD COACH DR. BLAKE FLICKNER
Dr. Blake Flickner enters his 17th season as the Head Basketball Coach at DBU. In 16 years at the helm for the Patriots, Flickner boasts a record of 287-179 and has guided DBU to the NCAA Division II Tournament six times, including five of the last six years. During the stretch since 2015, DBU has posted a record of 134-52 for a .720 win percentage. Under Flickner’s direction, the Patriots are also one of just 10 teams in the nation to reach the NCAA postseason each of the last four seasons.
Flickner’s teams have won a pair of Heartland Conference regular-season titles and two Heartland Tournament championships. Flickner is also a two-time Heartland Conference Coach of the Year, claiming the
league’s top coaching honors in 2009 and 2017.
YEAR-BY-YEAR
The Patriots posted a 17-5 overall record and reached the NCAA Tournament for the fourth straight year during the COVID abbreviated 2020-21 season. With a win over Southern Arkansas in the South Central Regional Tournament, DBU reached the Regional Semifinals for the second time in school history. On January 9, the Patriots took down the #3 ranked team in the nation to end West Texas A&M’s nation leading home court winning streak. It was the fourth season in a row DBU has defeated a team ranked in the Top 10. The Patriots also continued their dominance at the Burg Center, posting an 11-0 record on their home court and have gone 75-11 at the Burg since the start of the 2015-2016 season. DBU finished the 2020-21 season ranked No. 16 in the NABC’s Top 25 and posted their highest ranking in school history when they were ranked No. 9 by the D2SIDA poll on January 26.
In DBU’s first season in the Lone Star Conference in 2019-20, Flickner coached the Patriots to a 21-9 overall record and earned the No. 7 seed in the NCAA South Central Regional. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the NCAA to cancel the national tournament. DBU’s 21 wins marked the fifth consecutive season of 20 wins or more for the program and propelled the Patriots into the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year.
In 2018-19, Flickner guided the Patriots to a 23-11 record and a trip to the NCAA South Central Regional Tournament where they earned the No. 5 seed, marking the highest seed tournament bid in school history.
The 2017-18 season saw the Patriots finish with the most wins in program history with a record of 26-6, as DBU won the Heartland Conference regular season championship for the second straight year and the Heartland Conference Tournament championship for the second time over a three-year stretch. DBU also returned to the NCAA Tournament for the third time in program history where they punched their ticket the South Central Regional Tournament as the No. 6 seed. The Patriots spent most of the 2017-18 campaign ranked in the Top 25, including a final ranking of No. 16 in the nation according to the NABC Coach’s Poll.
In 2016-17, Flickner was selected as the Heartland Conference Coach of the Year after DBU clinched their first-ever regular-season league title. At season’s end, Flickner was also tabbed the NCCAA Central Region Coach of the Year.
The Patriots finished the 2015-16 campaign in the NCAA Division II National Tournament, where they fell to the No. 2 seeded team in the region, after winning the Heartland Conference Tournament championship.
In 2011, the Patriots won a National Championship in the NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association).
In 2008-09, Flickner guided DBU to the program’s first ever trip to the NCAA Tournament in just his third season at the helm. The Patriots went on to defeat Central Oklahoma in their first round game of the South Central Regional Tournament to advance to the Regional Semifinals.
Flickner’s teams are known for their great effort and selfless play. The up-tempo style is exciting for fans and players alike, and has consistently made them one of the highest scoring teams in the nation, as well as one of the top assist teams
in the country. Under Flickner’s direction, the Patriots have ranked in the top 25 nationally in 54 statistical categories during the past 16 years.
Under Flickner’s direction, the Patriots have produced 66 All-Conference selections, including 12 players who have garnered First Team All-Conference honors. His Patriots have also seen six players named as the Conference Freshman of the Year (5 Heartland & 1 Lone Star), three Defensive Player of the Year award winners (2 Heartland & 1 Lone Star) and a pair of Heartland Conference Newcomers of the Year. DBU has also produced 10 players that have gone on to play professional basketball overseas during Flickner’s career.
Coach Flickner’s teams have also excelled in the classroom as they are consistently at or near the top of their Conference for the highest team GPA. During Flickner’s tenure at DBU, his teams have won five Heartland Conference awards for the highest team GPA in the league, and have received the NABC Team Academic Excellence award on seven occasions. 100% of all players who have attended DBU out of high school and completed their eligibility have graduated. Many have also gone on to receive Master’s level degrees, or higher, while three former Patriots have earned their Juris Doctor degree from top law schools.
Flickner came to DBU from the U.S. Naval Academy where he served as an assistant coach for the Midshipmen from 2003-05. Prior to his stint at Navy, Flickner served two years as Director of Basketball Operations and Administrative Assistant Coach for Coach Dale Layer at Colorado State University. While there, the Rams made their first trip to the NCAA tournament in thirteen years after winning the Mountain West Conference Tournament.
Before his time at Colorado State, Flickner worked as the assistant coach at Eastfield College (1998-01) in Mesquite, Texas. During his three-year stay, he helped recruit and develop two All-Americans and led Eastfield College to a share of the 2001 Metro Athletic Conference Championship.
A native of Garland, Texas, Flickner graduated from Garland High School and went on to play at Eastfield College. A point guard for Eastfield College from 1993-95, Flickner helped the Harvesters to win the 1994 Metro Athletic Conference title. An outstanding student, Flickner was named a Distinguished NJCAA Academic All- American.
He continued his education at the University of Kansas, where he served as a student manager from 1996-98 and assumed the head manager position his senior campaign. Flickner graduated with distinction from Kansas in May of 1998 with a degree in business administration. He earned his Master of Arts Degree in Christian education at Dallas Theological Seminary in May of 2001 where he graduated with honors. In addition, he was awarded a doctor of Education degree from DBU in Educational Leadership (Ed.D) in December of 2016.
Blake and his wife Mary reside in Duncanville, Texas, with their son Isaiah, daughter Ruth, and son Malachi. They are members of Duncanville’s First Baptist Church where they serve as Journey Group leaders. Blake also serves as a board member for UME Preparatory Academy in Dallas.
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