Dec. 9, 2006

SALEM, Ore. - Legendary Oregon Tech men's basketball coach Danny Miles became the third NAIA men's hoops coach to break the 800 win mark as his second ranked Hustlin' Owls raced by George Fox 84 - 73 Friday night at the Hillyer's Mid-City Ford Classic on the campus of Corban College. Tech remains unbeaten with their 12th straight win.

Miles joins Harry Statham of McKendree College and retired Winston-Salem State University coach Clarence "Big House" Gaines as the only NAIA coaches in basketball history to hit the 800 victory plateau. Statham, in his 41st year at McKendree, is the all-time leader with 922 victories in both NCAA and NAIA while Gaines ranks seventh overall and second in NAIA with a total of 828 victories of which 816 were at the NAIA level.

In September of 2005 Miles and Statham were the featured coaches at the New York Coaches Association Clinic at Houghton College in Houghton, New York.

In his 36th year as head of the men's program at Oregon Tech Miles attempts to make his 12th NAIA national tournament trip next March. The last eight trips have been since the creation of NAIA Division II where the Hustlin' Owls have recorded a third best 19-7 (.731) won-loss mark including one national championship, one runner-up, one final four, two elite eights and four sweet sixteens. Other "Milestones" include nine district or conference titles, seven district runners-up, and ranked in the top 20 on 18 occasions with a nine week run at the number one spot.

On April 21, 2005 Miles was honored by his alma mater Southern Oregon University as the recipient of the 2005 Distinguished Alumnus Award at a dinner held in his honor on the SOU campus.

Miles was named NAIA Division II Men's Basketball Coach of the year in 2004 as well as being honored as the recipient of the A.T. "Slats" Gill All-Sports Coach of the Year (2004) and received the 2005 Cascade Conference Coach of the Year Award. Miles has been named Conference All-Sport Coach of the Year on four occasions. Other honors awarded Miles include: Conference Coach of the Year (six times), Northwest Coach of the Year (twice), West Coast Coach of the Year (once), and was a finalist for National Coach of the Year in 1974.

In March of 2001 Miles was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame in Point Lookout, Missouri. He was then awarded the Favell Museum's Klamath County Western Heritage Award later that spring.

In 1996 Miles was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame. He also has attained similar recognition as a charter member in both the Southern Oregon University and city of Medford Halls of Fame for his outstanding athletic fortunes.

The Medford, Oregon native has reached many milestones during his illustrious career at Oregon Tech. Miles, who carries a 800-351 basketball record at Oregon Tech, upon winning his 500th game at Tech (Dec. 10, 1995) then, Oregon Institute of Technology President Lawrence J. Wolf proclaimed the court was now "Danny Miles Court."

Miles has coached six summer clinics in France.

Miles was a standout three-sport athlete at Medford High School. After capping a brilliant prep career by being named the school's outstanding athlete in 1963, Miles moved on to Southern Oregon College of Education. During his stay at, now, Southern Oregon University, he earned All-American honors in football, All-Conference honors in basketball and was named to the All-District baseball team. A four-year starter at quarterback for the Raiders, Miles set two collegiate passing records of which one still stands 42 years later completing 77 percent of his passes for a single season. His 66 percent career pass-completion record fell in 2005.

The versatile Miles was an assistant coach in the Tech football program and head baseball coach. On four occasions his Tech baseball team finished in the top three in District II. In ten years with the Oregon Tech softball program Tech won six conference championships including one trip to the college world series.

Miles and his wife Judie have five children and 14 grandchildren.