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Current Brigham Young University men's basketball head coach Dave Rose jokes around with BYU alumnus Jimmy Balderson during a charity game for the Make-A-Wish Foundation between Brigham Young University alumni and Lincoln Academy faculty on Monday, April 17, 2017 at Skyridge High School in Lehi. ISAAC HALE, Daily Herald

Isaac Hale, Daily Herald

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Former BYU men's basketball coach Dave Rose, left, poses for photos with 14-time national fencing champion Julie Thompson Seal as members of the Utah Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2023 at The Little America Hotel in Salt Lake City on Monday, September 18, 2023.

Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

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Former BYU men’s basketball head coach Dave Rose chats before Brigham Young University men’s basketball’s regular-season opener against California State University Fullerton on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019, at the Marriott Center in Provo. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald

Isaac Hale Daily Herald

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Former BYU men's basketball coach Dave Rose, far left, poses with the rest of the Utah Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2023: fencer Julie Thompson Seal, skier Ted Ligety, sports writer Tom Wharton and Bjorn Eriksen, son of the late skier Stein Eriksen, at The Little America Hotel in Salt Lake City on Monday, September 18, 2023.

Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

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BYU men's basketball head coach Dave Rose pauses while giving a speech during press conference to announce his retirement at the Marriott Center on Tuesday, March 26, 2019, in Provo.

Evan Cobb, Daily Herald

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BYU coach Dave Rose shouts to his team during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Gonzaga on Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019, in Provo, Utah. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Rick Bowmer

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Brigham Young Cougars head coach Dave Rose talks with guard Jahshire Hardnett (0) during a game between Brigham Young University and Utah Valley University held Friday, Nov. 9, 2018, at the Marriott Center in Provo. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald

Isaac Hale Daily Herald

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Brigham Young Cougars head coach Dave Rose reacts after officials didn't call a foul on a play during a game between Brigham Young University and Utah State University held Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018, at the Marriott Center in Provo. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald

Isaac Hale Daily Herald

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Brigham Young Cougars head coach Dave Rose talks with an official during a game between Brigham Young University and Pepperdine University on Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018, at the Marriott center in Provo. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald

Isaac Hale, Daily Herald

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SALT LAKE CITY — When talking about his long and successful career as a college basketball coach, Dave Rose said officials sometimes “made me lose my mind.”

Rose probably lost his mind a little Monday night, but in a good and grateful way during a ceremony honoring the former BYU coach as one of the Utah Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2023.

Dozens of former players and coaches, along with their families, showed up at the Little America Hotel to honor Rose.

“There are so many people that helped me through my career,” Rose said. “That made it fun, not only for me but my family. To have them here tonight is great. The best part of being a coach is helping those kids navigate through that time of their life. Now you see them with kids, and they are watching their kids play on a high school team, that’s pretty fun, too.”

There were plenty of attendees who could answer to “Coach” and spent time with Rose during his career. Steve Cleveland, who hired Rose at BYU, was there, along with former assistants Terry Nashif, Dave Rice, John Wardenburg and Tim LaComb, among others.

“I think one of the reasons everyone came back tonight is just because of the camaraderie and togetherness we had in the program,” said Rice, who coached at BYU from 2005-2011. “It was always about family. That’s how Dave ran his program. I always said one of his greatest strengths was he brought in really good coaches and let them do their jobs. But there was never a doubt who was in charge of the program. It was his identity and his vision.

“It never been just about Dave. He’ll appreciate all the people who came back because they are part of the BYU family. We had so many great moments in the locker room, in the post-game press conferences and in practice. Every day was fun and we would laugh. We had a good time, worked hard and worked well together.”

Former players visited with Rose before the ceremony, including Kaufusi bothers Corbin and Bronson, Travis Hansen, Dalton Nixon, Nick Emery, Connor Harding and Brock Reichner, among many others.

“Dave Rose was the first coach to ever offer me a scholarship,” said Hansen, who played for the Cougars from 2000-2003 and enjoyed a pro career with the NBA Atlanta Hawks and four different teams overseas. “I’m a junior at Mountain View High School with dreams of playing in college. I loved Dave and I wanted to go to BYU. I watched him coach with passion and energy and intelligence. I always looked up to Coach Rose and his ability to be a player’s coach.

“Dave had a great staff working with him and it took a little time to build up some credibility through recruiting, but I felt like his impact was immediate. He took BYU from 1-25 and a place where no one wanted to go to a place where people were watching and everyone wanted to go pretty quickly. We played a fun, fast-paced way that let us use or talents and abilities.”

Rose retired from BYU after the 2018-19 season and the following years have involved some health issues. But he and his wife Cheryl built a home in St. George and are living the comfortable retired grandparent’s life, according to Rose.

He said he was humbled by the invitation into the Utah Sports Hall of Fame.

“This is pretty exciting for me,” he said. “I came to Utah in 1976 to start playing basketball for Dixie College. I ended up marrying a girl from here, then went back to Houston to play a few years there. Then we started my coaching career in the state of Utah. I coached here the entire time. It’s an honor for me to be inducted.”

Rose is one of five inductees in the Class of 2023 joined by the late skier Stein Ericksen, skier Ted Ligety, fencer Julie Thompson Seal and sports writer Tom Wharton. They were all selected for their outstanding achievements and valuable contributions to sport which have generated positive and lasting acclaim in behalf of the state of Utah.

During his 14-year tenure as the head coach at BYU, Rose went 348-135 including a streak of 13-straight 20-win seasons. He led the Cougars to six NCAA tournament appearances, including a run to the Sweet 16 in 2011 led by National Player of the Year Jimmer Fredette. He earned his 200th career victory in his 259th game, making him the 15th fastest in NCAA history to reach the milestone.

Rose was named the Mountain West Coach of the Year three times including back-to-back in 2006 and 2007, becoming the first coach in program history to win conference coaching honors in consecutive seasons. He coached eight All-Americans and four NBA draft picks including Fredette, who was named the Naismith, Wooden, AP, NABC and Oscar Robertson Player of the Year as a senior in 2011.

Prior to being named the head coach on April 11, 2005, Rose spent eight seasons under Cleveland in Provo, including the last five as associated head coach. He spent 10 seasons at Dixie State, including seven as the head coach, where he accumulated a record of 167-57 winning three conference titles. He also coached multiple sports at Millard and Pine View high schools before joining the staff at Dixie.

His success wasn’t limited to the court as he was honored by the National Association of Basketball Coaches with its Game Pillar Award for Service, one of only four Pillar Awards that the NABC annually bestows on the most deserving among its vast membership. In 2018, he won the ESPN INFINITI Coaches’ Charity Challenge raising more than $100,000 for the BYU Simmons Center for Cancer Research.

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