Dale Layer - Biography

Biography

Layer started his coaching career in 1980 after graduating from his alma mater Eckerd College. He spent seven of the next eight years at Eckerd (he was an assistant at Eastern Kentucky University during the 1982-1983 season. He then made the jump to the head coaching ranks, accepting a job at Queens University of Charlotte. He amassed 167 wins against 87 losses in nine years as the head coach, and also served as the school's athletic director.

In 1998, Layer accepted a job at Colorado State as an assistant after Ritchie McKay accepted the head coaching position. Layer helped lead the Rams to an NIT appearance in 1999, defeating Mississippi State and Colorado before losing to the eventual champion, California.

When McKay left CSU in 2000, Layer was promoted to the head job. Layer guided the team to its first NCAA Tournament bid in 13 years, in 2003. He was twice voted the region's coach of the year by the National Basketball Coaches Association. But after seven years and a 103-106 record (and 31-71 in conference play), Layer was fired.

He rejoined McKay's staff shortly after McKay accepted the job at Liberty University. Layer stayed for a year before heading off to be an assistant to head coach Buzz Williams at Marquette. After the 2008-2009 season, McKay left Liberty and accepted a job as associate head coach at the University of Virginia. Liberty contacted Layer about filling the head coaching vacancy, and Layer accepted.