Dana (Coates) Eckman was born in Panorama City, California, but grew up in nearby Auberry. She enrolled at Fresno Pacific in the fall of 1990 and quickly established herself as one of the premiere players in the Golden State Athletic Conference.
She was named the Sunbirds’ Most Valuable Player following her freshman season, then sustained a knee injury midway through her sophomore year that could have ended her career. Defying the odds, she returned to the lineup seven weeks later, scoring 13 points and 14 rebounds and sparking the team to a 87-70 playoff victory over Point Loma Nazarene. She was named the team’s Most Valuable Player the following two seasons.
In 1993 and 1994 she earned All-GSAC and NAIA All-America honorable mention recognition. Her teams won the NAIA District Three Championship in 1993 and GSAC championships in 1992 and '94, as well as participating in the NAIA National Championship tournament in 1992, '93 and '94.
She was the first Sunbird to average a double-double for her entire career. In all she averaged 14.2 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.3 steals, 1.7 assists, and 1.0 blocks per contest over her 104-game career. At the time of her graduation she owned 17 Sunbird records, eight of which still stand.
She graduated in 1994 with a social work major and has served as a counselor for Fresno County CPS Emergency Response Unit, Kings View Center and the YMCA. She has also served as a child foster care and adoption case manager and advocate and, most recently, Family Literacy Coordinator for the Crawford Board of Education in Roberta, Georgia, where she is also an active member of the Roberta Methodist Church. She is married to Mark Eckman and is the stepmother of Justine (1994) and mother of Cody (1998) and Dane (1999).
* FPUÂ Most Valuable Player (1991, '93, '94)
* NAIA All-District Three team (1991, '93)
* Golden State Athletic Conference team (1993, '94)
* Golden State Athletic Conference champions (1992, '94)
* NAIA District Three champions (1993)
* Golden State Athletic Conference postseason champion (1994)
* NAIA All-America honorable mention (1993, '94)
* FPU team combined record of 87-33, including 32-8 in GSAC
* NAIA National championship tournament participant (1992, '93, '94)
* Reached double figure points in 78 of 104 career games
* Reached double figure rebounds in 64 of 104 career games
* Recorded a double-double in 56 of 104 career games
* Only FPU player to average a career double-double (14.2 points, 10.5 rebounds)
* Owned 17 FPU records at graduation of which eight still stand
* Among FPU's career leaders in games, points, rebounds, assists, steal and blocks
* Career average: 14.2 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.3 steals, 1.7 assists, 1.0 blocks per gameÂ
* Successful high school teacher and coach
* Counselor for Fresno County CPS, Kings View Center and the YMCA
* Foster care and adoption case manager and advocate, Houston County, Georgia
* Family Literacy Coordinator for the Crawford Board of Education, Roberta, Georgia
* Married to Mark Eckman
*Stepmother of Justine (1994); mother of Cody (1998), Dane (1999)
* Active member of the Roberta Methodist Church in Roberta, Georgia
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