One of the most outstanding basketball players in school history, Dan Trant '84 helped establish Clark as a perennial power not only in New England, but also at the national level. He led the Cougars to an impressive 85-23 (.787) record and four consecutive NCAA Division III Tournament bids. The two-time All-America and three-time All-New England selection played in all 108 career games and scored 1,665 career points to finish as Clark’s second all-time leading scorer. Today, his career totals rank him fourth in Clark career scoring.
As a freshman, Trant averaged a respectable 7.7 points per game as Clark went 24-3 and reached the NCAA Regional Tournament. He blossomed as a sophomore with a 13.1 point average and a team-high 143 assists. The 6’2” guard was the squad’s most valuable player and an All-New England pick.
Trant’s junior and senior years are most memorable as he guided Clark to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances. In 1982-1983, Clark won 16 straight games, claimed the 1983 NCAA Regional Championship, reached the national quarterfinals, and finished with a 23-4 mark. Trant had a team-high 18.1 scoring average, while also leading the squad in assists (161) and steals (57). He was honored as the UPI New England Division III Player of the Year and was an All-America Third Team pick.
The 1983-1984 season was the finest in school history as the Cougars went 21-7 en route to reaching the NCAA Division III Final Four, finishing as national runner-up. Clark was the first team in New England to reach the Final Four. As the team’s catalyst, Trant again led Clark in scoring (22.5 average), assists (186), and steals (59). He tallied thirty or more points five times and closed out his career as an All-America Second Team honoree.
Following his collegiate career, Trant was drafted by the Boston Celtics in the 10th round of the 1984 NBA Draft, which also featured Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley. After a professional basketball playing career in Ireland, he played in the former United States Basketball League (USBL).
Trant exchanged his playing days for an investment career with Cantor-Fitzgerald in New York City. Tragically, he was one of the victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. He was posthumously inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame.
Dan is survived by his wife Cathy, their three children (Alex, Dan, Jessica), his mother Mary, and seven siblings.
Presenter: Wally Halas '65 (former Clark Men's Basketball Coach)
