Daniel Mondragon has finished his 5th season at the helm of the D&E basketball program and continued to build Davis & Elkins into conference contenders. Coming off the historic 2022-23 campaign which marked the first winning season in 42 years, Coach Mondragon and the Senators made history yet again this season by completing the year 15-14 giving the program the first back-to-back winning seasons in 69 years.Â
In his fourth season at the helm, Daniel Mondragon led the senators to a historic season. The 2022-23 Senators finished the season 19-11Â which marks the first winning season in 42 years and the most wins since 1959. The Senators were led by all-conference first-team members Sam Rolle, and Breland Walton who received Second-team honors. The program's turnaround has been a work in progress for Coach Mondragon who accomplished this feat in his third recruiting cycle and earned Mountain East Coach of Year honors as the 5th seed. The season was capped off by an upset win over #3-seeded Charleston in the conference quarterfinals. The Senators would later fall to #2 Fairmont State in the semi-finals of the MEC tournament.
In 2021-22 the Senators would battle several season-ending injuries and ultimately finish the year with 8 wins.Â
Mondragon and the Senators clinched a spot in the MEC Tournament as part of a four-win 2020-21 campaign. Mondragon recruited and worked with 2020-21 MEC Freshman of the Year Sam Rolle IV and All-MEC Second Team honoree Breland Walton.Â
The Senators just missed out on a spot in the MEC Tournament in 2019-20, staying alive until the final day of the regular season in the team's first year in the league. D&E recorded eight victories and senior Donte Doleman picked up All-MEC Honorable Mention accolades after leading the squad with 17.9 points/game. The Senators picked up their first conference victory in the Mountain East in grand fashion, dispatching Fairmont State, 81-78, in an exciting road contest.Â
He was named the 30th head coach in program history on September 17, 2019.Â
Mondragon brings a wealth of basketball experience with him, including time as a former collegiate basketball player, program director, assistant coach and head coach at various levels. He will lead the Davis & Elkins basketball program into its first season as a member of the Mountain East Conference (MEC) in 2019-20.
He arrives in Elkins after spending the past four seasons as the head coach for the elite DME Sports Academy and director of player development. Mondragon recruited both high school and post-graduate student-athletes for the athletic-based sports training academy located in Daytona Beach, Florida.
In addition to his duties as the head coach at DME Academy, Mondragon served as a basketball trainer and elite youth training program director from 2015-19. He managed the operations, budget, scheduling and day-to-day operations of 11 youth teams. Mondragon also played a pivotal role in leading individual and group workouts, including organizing National Basketball Association (NBA) pre-draft workouts for several players during his time at DME.
Prior to his time at DME, Mondragon worked as an assistant coach at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Fla.) from 2013 to 2016, helping to guide his alma mater to a conference championship and 35-2 record in 2014-15 during the institution's final year as a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). He dealt with nearly ever facet of the ERAU men's basketball program as an assistant, ranging from recruiting, game planning, scouting, film study, planning workouts, directing summer camp and coordinating travel.
Mondragon also played his collegiate basketball for the Eagles from 2009-13. He became the first individual in program history, earning team captain selection as a walk-on. He was a member of three Sun Conference championships and an NAIA Tournament appearance in 2013. A two-year team captain, he averaged 9.0 points/game and 4.9 assists/game as a senior. The Eagles notched an impressive 102-34 (.750) mark over his career.
He graduated from Embry-Riddle in 2013 with a bachelor's degree in human factors psychology and added his master's degree in leadership from ERAU.
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What others are saying about Mondragon:
Daniel Pannagio - Co-founder of DME Sports Academy; head of DME basketball operations (former Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers assistant coach)
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"Coach Daniel Mondragon is a tremendous selection. No one is more dedicated to the important tasks at hand than this young man. He has great court presence, works tirelessly and communicates well with players, faculty, parents and fans. I have no doubt that he will successfully build the Davis & Elkins men's basketball program and do so the right way."
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Steve Ridder – Head men's basketball coach at Embry-Riddle; member of NAIA Hall of Fame
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"Without a doubt Coach Dan Mondragon is simply one of the most talented young up-and-coming coaches in our profession. He possesses all the tools to be an impact and significant coach at Davis & Elkins College. He has a great knowledge of the game, strong work ethic, compassion, loves to compete to win and will do things the right way. Coach Dan Mondragon has a great story—from walk on, to scholarship player, to leader and captain in a championship program. He is a special young man! He will connect with people, serve others and develop meaningful relationships with everyone involved while representing the Davis & Elkins family at the highest level."
Mamadou Ndiaye – Associate head men's basketball coach at the University of San Francisco; former NBA player and Auburn standout
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"Dan has great work ethic and understanding of the game. He is a very good teacher but also a very good listener. Off the court, Dan will go above and beyond to make sure the players are taken care of. He has great upside and is someone you can trust to run and build a strong basketball program."
Ryan Ridder – Head men's basketball coach at NCAA DI Bethune-Cookman (Fla.)
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"Daniel is the perfect hire for Davis & Elkins. He is a rising star that is passionate about helping young people on and off the court. He will be a first-class representative for the college and build a program everyone can be proud of!"
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