Dave Yanai wins John R. Wooden Legends of Coaching award

LOS ANGELES  — Dave Yanai, retired coach of Cal State Dominguez Hills, will receive the John R. Wooden Legends of Coaching award in 2021.

The award recognizes coaches who exemplify the late UCLA coach’s high standard of coaching success and personal integrity. 

Yanai will receive the award on April 9 in Los Angeles.

Yanai was the first Japanese American head coach at any level of college basketball. He spent 19 years at Cal State Dominguez Hills, where he is the school’s all-time winningest coach with 287 victories. 

He guided the Toros to the 1979 NAIA Elite Eight.