Blue Water Sports Hall of Fame: Dan Hanton, Retired Director of Athletics, Graceland University

Dan was born and raised in Port Huron, Michigan. In 2007 Dan was inducted into the Port Huron Sports Hall of Fame, with a career in coaching, teaching, and Athletic Director.

Dan began his coaching career in 1965 during his senior at Graceland University as a player and assistant coach. That same year he started coaching at Brown City High School, he would then continue to coach three sports a year for nearly fifty years.

Dan would remain at Brown City High School for six years before coaching at Port Huron Northern in Basketball, Football, and Track for the next twenty-seven years. As basketball coach from 1988-1994, his record was 111 wins and 47 losses. Twice taking the Port Huron Northern Boy’s Basketball team to the Michigan State Quarter Finals. The 1990-1991 Boys Basketball team was inducted into the Port Huron Sports Hall of Fame in October of 2019.

In 2000 Dan became the Athletic Director for Graceland University and was the women’s basketball coach for the Lady Yellowjackets. He coached them to an 18 win season, which is the only time to happen in the history of Graceland University.