Athletics Hall of Fame – April 20, 2004
Dan Shanks, a 1997 graduate of Coker University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education, completed his career as one of the greatest players in the history of the Cobras basketball program. Shanks burst onto the scene in the 1993-94 season and immediately made his presence felt. He was named Carolinas Conference Freshman and Player of the Year after averaging 21.8 points per game with a .488 shooting percentage. As a sophomore Shanks put up 15.1 points per game and as a junior, he averaged 17.2 points and 4.8 rebounds per contest. In his senior season, Shanks scored 19.2 points per game while shooting over 50 percent from the field.
His 93 percent shooting from the foul line that season ranks 13th best all-time in Division II, and his 87.6 career free throw percentage is 12th best in history. For his career Shanks was second all-time at Coker with 1,895 points, first in points per game at 18.6, shot 51 percent from the field, 46 percent from three point range, grabbed 424 rebounds, and led the Cobras in scoring in 83 out of his 102 games played. He earned Division II bulletin Honorable Mention, All-American recognition as a senior, and was a four-time All-Conference and All-Region honoree.
Shanks went on to play seven years of professional basketball in Europe, Belgium, Estonia, and Austria. He led his league in scoring twice during those seven years and decided to retire from basketball in the summer 2004.