Hall of Fame
Danny Hale, one of Division II's winningest coaches, retired June 28, 2013, after spending 20 seasons as the head coach of the Huskies and 25 years overall as a head coach. Before joining Bloomsburg, Hale spent five years as head coach at West Chester University. At Bloomsburg, Hale posted a record of 173-56-1 (.754) and holds the school record for most coaching victories. Overall, in 25 years as a head coach, he had a mark of 213-69-1 (.754) and ranked among the top five among active coaches in NCAA Division II in winning percentage and victories at the time of his retirement.
In his 20 seasons as head coach at Bloomsburg, Hale led the Huskies to 11 outright or shared PSAC Eastern Division titles and eight NCAA postseason playoff berths. In his final 13 seasons (2000-2012), Bloomsburg was one of the most successful NCAA Division II programs with a combined record of 121-32 (.791). He guided the Huskies to seven ten-win seasons – Bloomsburg had only one previous ten-win season (1985; 12-1) since the program's inception in 1892.
Overall, Hale was named the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) District I Coach of the Year nine times, the third-highest total in AFCA history. Twice he won the honor in consecutive seasons (2000 and 2001 and 2005 and 2006). He was named the PSAC Eastern Division Coach of the Year 10 times, including four straight from 1994 to 1997 and back-to-back in 2005 and 2006. Hale was also a finalist for the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award in 2006 and was featured on ABC in a special hosted by the late Keith Jackson.
Hale coached many great players, including Irv Sigler, the 1997 Harlon Hill Award winner as the nation's best Division II football player. Sigler finished the year as one of the few players ever in Division II history to average more than 200 yards per game rushing. In addition, Hale coached Jamar Brittingham, a 2005 top-three finalist for the Harlon Hill. Brittingham finished 2005 as college football's top rusher and scorer and was fourth in Division II in all-purpose yards. In 2010, Hale coached D-II's leading rusher and First Team All-American in Franklyn Quiteh. As a freshman, Quiteh was the only back at any level of football to rush for more than 2,000 yards. He finished sixth in the balloting for the Harlon Hill Award that year before winning the honor as the nation's best player in 2013.
Running backs need some excellent blockers, and Hale was blessed with a tremendous list of offensive linemen who also helped the program become a national power. Included in that list was Jahri Evans, a fourth-round draft choice of the New Orleans Saints in 2006. Evans was widely regarded among the NFL's top linemen during his professional playing career. Hale also coached Brian Clarke, a finalist for the Gene Upshaw Award as the nation's best lineman in 2012, and Matt Feiler, who just signed a three-year contract with the Los Angeles Chargers after spending several seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Hale's most memorable season came in 2000 as the Huskies advanced to the NCAA Division II National Championship game, eventually losing to Delta State. After losing the first two games of the season, Bloomsburg rattled off 12 consecutive victories, including wins over Saginaw Valley State and Northwood to open the NCAA playoffs. In the national semifinals, the Huskies rallied from 19 points down to stun UC-Davis, 58-48, to advance to the title game for the first time in program history. Hale earned the AFCA Division II National Coach of the Year award following the season.
At West Chester, Hale went 40-13, won three PSAC East titles, and advanced to the NCAA playoffs in 1988. Prior to West Chester, Hale was an offensive line and defensive coordinator at Colgate from 1981 to 1983. He was also the offensive line coach at Bucknell from 1975-80 and was defensive coordinator and linebacker coach at Vermont in 1974.
Hale is a graduate of West Chester, earning his bachelor's and master's degrees in health and physical education in 1968 and 1973. He was an All-Conference pick at West Chester and earned the team's most valuable player in the 1967 State Championship game. He also lettered in track and field three times. He is a member of the West Chester Football Hall of Fame and the Delaware County Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.
In 1968, Hale signed with the Pottstown Firebirds, the semi-professional farm club of the Philadelphia Eagles, before entering the Marine Corps, where he played middle linebacker for the Quantico Marines. Following a three-year stint, he was honorably discharged as a first lieutenant in 1972.
Hale, who earned an honorary degree from Bloomsburg in 2001, and his wife Diane are the parents of four children, Roman, Brandie, Tyson, and Christina. The couple has 19 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
