15 March 2024
EMPORIA (KSNT) – After six seasons in Emporia, Craig Doty is moving on from his role as Emporia State’s head men’s basketball coach.
Doty was hired by ESU in 2018. He led the Hornets to a 97-76 record in his time. In 2023, he helped Emporia State men’s basketball win an NCAA tournament game for the first time in program history. Doty’s squad broke the school record for MIAA wins in a season with 15 in 2021-22 and matched that total in 2022-23.
In 2023-24, Doty’s team finished 19-12 overall and 12-10 in MIAA play, despite catching a nasty injury bug.
Doty is moving on to a new job at the DI level, where he will be the head men’s basketball coach at Houston Christian.
“I want to express my gratitude to the many incredible people at Emporia State for your support and love during our six year ESU tenure,” Doty said in a statement from ESU Athletics. “”I am grateful for Kent Weiser who changed my family’s life when he hired me.. I am thankful for President Hush and David Spafford for their visionary leadership. We were asked every day to ‘think bigger’ and we were given the resources to move things forward. They were a blast to work with as they pushed us to be our best while also having a great understanding of competitive college athletics and the modern day student-athlete.”
Doty also thanked the Emporia community in his statement.
In his six seasons leading in Emporia, he coached 16 All-MIAA selections and helped mentor Tray Buchanan into the program’s first All-American since 2003.
Prior to his time at ESU, Doty was the head coach at Graceland University, where he won an NAIA National Championship. He previously led Rock Valley College to two national titles.
“Coach Doty has done a very good job the last six years as our men’s basketball coach,” Emporia State Athletic Director David Spafford said. “He has elevated the program to new heights that positions our program for further success in the MIAA and nationally.”
Doty’s overall career record as a head coach is 259-126.