Dan DeCrane is in his fourth year as the Gilmour Academy varsity boys basketball coach with the 2021-22 season. He has registered a 44-25 record leading the Lancers in his first three seasons at the helm.

DeCrane led Gilmour to its best postseason success in over 25 years in his third year guiding the Lancers. After having a turbulent regular season due to the coronavirus pandemic, DeCrane got the Lancers playing their best basketball when it mattered most.

After winning the sectional title with ease, Gilmour would upset the top seed in its district, Warrensville Heights, with a thrilling, last-second win in the district semifinals. Gilmour was then matched up against Padua Franciscan in the district final. The Lancers had lost to Padua in late January, but turned the tables with a stout defensive effort to win the program’s first district crown in over 20 years.

DeCrane kept the magical run going with a regional semifinal win over Chaney High School, advancing the Lancers to the state’s Elite Eight for only the second time in school history. Forward Ryan Mueller ’22 was subsequently named All-Ohio and was one of four Lancers to earn all-district accolades with DeCrane’s assistance.

In DeCrane’s first season at Gilmour, the Lancers earned the 2018-19 North Coast League (NCL) White Division Championship as he was named NCL White Division Coach of the Year. His teams were honored by the OHSBCA for being among the top 10 in 2-point field goal percentage in 2018-19 (55.2 percent) and having a top-20 effort in 2019-20 (53.9-percent).

DeCrane brought over a decade of coaching experience to Gilmour, as he got his start as an assistant coach at Archbishop Hoban High School (2007-09). He then gained additional experience as an assistant coach at St. Edward High School (2009-10), an assistant varsity coach and head junior varsity coach at Akron East High School (2010-11) and as an assistant varsity coach with Bishop Hartley High School (2011-14), helping the Hawks to the district title game in his final season.

DeCrane served as the head coach at Bishop Ready High School in the four seasons prior to arriving at Gilmour (2014-18). In his final season at Ready, his team was a 2018 Division III District Runner-Up and the 2018 Central Catholic League Co-Champions. The Silver Knights compiled a school-record 12-game winning streak and earned the program’s first Associated Press ranking after holding the No. 1 spot in the poll for two consecutive weeks in January 2018. DeCrane was named 2018 Division III District 10 Coach of the Year.

DeCrane has been a member of the Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association (OHSBCA) since 2011 and the Greater Cleveland Basketball Coaches Association (GCBCA) since 2018.

Additionally, DeCrane has spent four seasons as a varsity golf coach – three with the Bishop Ready girls program (2014-16) and one with the Bishop Hartley boys program (2013).

The Stow, Ohio, native attended Archbishop Hoban High School where he played basketball for the Knights, helping the team compile an overall record of 39-5 during his two-years as a starting guard. He was Second-Team All-District Division II (2003), Honorable Mention All-State Division II (2003), team MVP (2003) and an OHSBCA All-Academic Division II honoree (2003). He continued his playing career at Muskingum University, earning two varsity letters (2003-05).

DeCrane earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Dayton and a Master of Arts in teaching from Kent State University. He is employed by Gilmour Academy as an assistant director of college counseling. He currently resides in Broadview Heights, Ohio with his wife of nine years, Katie, and their four children, Leah (8), Alexis (6), Mackenzie (4) and infant son Luke. He is an avid volunteer with the Mayfield Lancers Special Olympics, serving as a coach and mentor with their basketball team.