Dave Dickerson Returns to Ohio State as Associate Head Coach

The Ohio State Buckeyes return a former assistant, this time under Jake Diebler

Dave Dickerson coached with the Buckeyes under head coach Thad Matta (Credit: Getty Images) / Mitchell Layton/GettyImages

A former Buckeyes coach is returning to Ohio State.

Dave Dickerson, who was an associated head coach under former Ohio State head coach Thad Matta, is returning to his previous position, this time under current head coach Jake Diebler.

Dickerson helped the Buckeyes reach the NCAA Tournament in five out of his seven seasons, making it as far as the Final Four in 2012 and winning the Big Ten Tournament twice.

The Olar, South Carolina, native spent the last six seasons as the head coach of University of South Carolina-Upstate, finishing with a 65-117 record but not winning any Atlantic Sun nor Big South conference titles.

Dickerson also served as the assistant head coach for Gardner-Webb, James Madison, Radford and Maryland — the latter his alma mater — for the first 15 years of his coaching career before taking on a head coaching role with Tulane in 2005, where he went 68-84 over five seasons.

However, he never reached the NCAA Tournament as a head coach, instead likely returning to Ohio State with dreams to help the Buckeyes return themselves. Ohio State hasn't reached the tournament since 2022 and is currently in the quarterfinals of the National Invitation Tournament.

With Dickerson on staff, Ohio State produced NBA players including Jared Sullinger, Jordan Sibert and Los Angeles Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell.

As Ohio State prepares to play Georgia in the NIT quarterfinals Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Value City Arena, they may be looking forward to a run at the NCAA Tournament next season with both Diebler full time and Dickerson as associate head coach.