The Coaching Factory Night of Honor

In 1986, an SUU alumnus sports reporter created the moniker "The Coaching Factory" for Southern Utah University because of the success alumni coaches were having while coaching high school athletic teams.

Over the past 26 years "The Coaching Factory' alumni have won 548 state championship and 390 runner-up awards. In addition they have won 19 national championship and 2 coaches are in the National High School Coaches Hall of Fame.

Further, during the 2014 football season, 35 SUU alumni were head coaches, while the University of Utah had 17, BYU had 15, USU 12 and Weber State had 11.

During this school year, 31% of all principals in Utah high schools were SUU alumni, and most of them were former coaches.

On February 6, 2016, SUU and Dr. Steve Lunt (SUU Director of Special Projects and Events) honored alumni coaches who during the 2014-2015 academic year competed for their respective championship. The group was honored during halftime during a Thunderbird men's basketball game.

Ben Davidson - The Coaching Factory Hall of Fame Inductee

Southern Utah University proudly hosted its annual Coaching Factory Night of Honor & Hall of Fame Induction ceremony on February 6, 2016. Inducted into the Hall of Fame that evening was Ben Davidson from Cedar City, Utah.

Ben devoted nearly four decades of his life to Southern Utah University and its students, beginning with his 1968 enrollment. A 1972 graduate in physical education, he later earned a master's degree in athletic training from Indiana State University.

In 1979, he became athletic trainer and P.E. faculty member here as well as track and field coach for the NAIA level Thunderbirds, paving the way for the program's entrance into NCAA competition. In his eight years as coach, his athletes had great success, including four individual national championships, five second-place finishes and a pair of fifth place finishes. He was the National Athletic Trainers' Association Most Distinguished Trainer in 1999 and built SUU's athletic trainers' education program into one of the most respected in the intermountain area before his 2013 retirement.

Congratulations Ben!

Calvin Albrecht - The Coaching Factory Hall of Fame Inductee

Southern Utah University proudly hosted its annual Coaching Factory Night of Honor & Hall of Fame Induction ceremony on February 6, 2016. Inducted into the Hall of Fame that evening was Calvin Albrecht from Beaver, Utah.

Calvin, a 1973 SUU grad, returned to his alma mater, Beaver High School, to begin a 30-year career that included coaching football, boys basketball, track and field, and cross country. He led his charges to 11 state championships in three sports over the years. His Beaver cagers earned trips to the state tournament in 18 of his 20 years as coach, winning four times, and he stands among the state leaders in basketball wins posted at one school, with 351.

He also racked up six state titles in boys track and field and another in cross country. He was Utah's coach of the year in both basketball and track and field, and for 22 years helped guide the Beaver football team to five state championship and four runner-up finishes.

Congratulations Calvin!