Leighton McCrary - Men's Basketball Coach - Grand Canyon University Athletics

Leighton McCrary

Title:
Head Coach

Year	School	Record
1990-91	GCU	19-11
1991-92	GCU	22-6
1992-93	GCU	20-11
1993-94	GCU	14-15
1994-95	GCU	17-11
1995-96	GCU	23-6
1996-97	GCU	23-6
1997-98	GCU	17-10
1998-99	GCU	16-11
1999-00	GCU	15-14
2000-01	GCU	9-17
2001-02	GCU	10-17
2002-03	GCU	9-18
2003-04	GCU	3-24
GCU career	(14 seasons)	216-178

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Leighton McCrary is Grand Canyon's second-longest tenured men's basketball coach, serving for 14 seasons from 1990 to 2004.

Coach "Mac" directed the Antelopes to eight consecutive postseason appearances to begin his GCU tenure - one in the NAIA and seven at the NCAA Division II level.

McCrary's clubs were at the top of the Pacific West Conference (formerly the Great Northwest Conference) for four seasons during that time span. Also, McCrary was named the Great Northwest Conference Coach of the Year for the 1991-92 season. The Lopes advanced as far as the West Regional semifinals for the second consecutive season.

Widely respected by his peers, McCrary brought the energy and enthusiasm necessary to be competitive in the California Collegiate Athletic Association, year in and year out. During Canyon's eight seasons in the CCAA, McCrary compiled a 71-65 conference record (.522 winning percentage), in what was considered the premier NCAA Division II conference in the nation. During the first four years in the CCAA, McCrary led the Lopes to four consecutive second-place regular-season finishes and one conference championship that came during the last CCAA Championship Tournament in 1995.

In addition to his accomplishments with the GCU basketball program, Coach Mac had equal success writing for professional publications and serving as a guest speaker for national coaches clinics.

McCrary, originally from Chicago, spent much of his playing and coaching career in Arkansas. He earned his Bachelor's in Physical Education, while lettering for four seasons in basketball, at Philander Smith College in Little Rock. In 1982, he added a Master's in Education from the University of Arkansas-Little Rock.

Before arriving at Grand Canyon in 1990, McCrary spent six seasons as the top assistant coach at Arkansas State University. He helped guide Arkansas State to three 20-win seasons and three trips to the National Invitational Tournament.

A former active participant in AAU basketball, McCrary assisted with the Junior National Olympic men's team in the summer of 1983, touring the Soviet Union.

McCrary and his wife, Jacqulin, had five children: Tamiko, Leighton Jr., Jami Lyn, Briana and Donovan.