Union University Athletics

David Niven was named the men's basketball head coach at Union for the 2009-10 season. He begins his 16th season as the head coach in 2024-25, and his 27th season with the Bulldog program. Niven has compiled a 258-186 (.581) record over his career as a head coach.

While at Union, Niven has experienced elite success while coaching one national player of the year, 17 All-Americans, 32 all-conference players, five all-region players, four conference players of the year, and three conference freshmen of the year. Coach Niven has also helped 29 players continue to play basketball professionally all over the world after playing at Union.

The 2023-24 season produced yet another GSC Tournament appearance for Niven and the Bulldogs. It was the sixth straight appearance for the Bulldogs. Union has made the GSC Tournament in all but one season since becoming postseason-eligible in 2014-15. He produced several conference player of the week awards, including the 2024 GSC Freshman of the Year. 

During the 2022-23 season, Niven led his team again to the GSC tournament after compiling a conference record of 13-11 (.542). Along the way, his players collected several TSWA Player of the Week Awards and GSC Freshman and Player of the Week awards.

In the 2021-22 season, Niven led the team to a record 24-win season in the Division II era. This resulted in a second-place regular season and conference tournament finish in the GSC. This also led to Union being the highest-seeded team out of the GSC in the South Region of the NCAA tournament, winning in the first round game and advancing in the national tournament before losing at the buzzer to the undefeated No. 1 team in the nation on their home court. 

In 2015-16, Niven took his team to a second straight NCAA DII National Tournament. He led his team to his first NCAA National Tournament win as Union advanced to the second round. Union posted their highest GSC finish with a third-place regular season finish. Union advanced to the semifinals of the GSC Tournament for the second straight year. The Bulldogs were 21-11 overall and 13-9 in GSC play. 

In 2014-15, Niven led his squad to a 20-11 overall record. His team posted a third place finish in the GSC Conference Tournament in its first season as a full member of the NCAA Division II. They also made their first appearance at the 2015 NCAA DII South Region Tournament.  They became one of the few teams in the country to make the transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II and make the NCAA tournament in their first season of eligibility.

In his first two seasons at Union, Niven served as a volunteer assistant coach, and then became full-time in 1999. In 2003, Niven earned the position of associate head coach for the Union men’s basketball program and became head coach in 2009. He spent the 1996-97 season as an assistant coach at Oklahoma Baptist.

In his first season as head coach, Niven posted a 26-8 record overall and a 14-2 mark in the TranSouth. His team earned the conference regular season and tournament titles, and advanced to the NAIA National Tournament. Niven followed that first season with a 26-7 overall record and 14-2 league mark. Union shared the regular season championship and advanced to another NAIA National Tournament. In his third season (2011-12), Niven lead his squad to an 18-13 overall record and finish in second place in the TranSouth Regular Season with an 11-5 mark.

Niven is deeply committed to excellence both on and off the court. He aligns himself with the identity, mission and vision of Union in both his coaching and mentoring of his players. He is devoted to the development of his players physically, academically and spiritually.

“I feel a calling upon my life to fulfill the Great Commission as a college basketball coach”, says Niven. “I want to teach my players how to place their hope in eternal things and not the things of this world.”

During his time at Union, Niven has recruited and signed numerous All-Americans, as well as the 2002 NAIA National Player of the Year. Niven has also coached 29 players that have gone on to play professional basketball in the United States and countries all over the world.

More importantly, the statistic he is most proud of is the 66 players that have graduated during his time as their academic advisor translating to an 88% graduation rate among his seniors. He also boasts a 100% graduation rate among his four year players.  Every freshman he has signed that played 4 years has graduated. “No coaching staff in the country will place more emphasis on the academic success of our players than we do here at Union”, says Niven. “Each player will have the commitment from our staff to prepare them for life after basketball.” 

Niven, a 1996 graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University, spent his playing career at OBU and finished with a four-year career record 121-24. In those four years, he played on teams that were ranked No. 1 in the NAIA, advanced to one NAIA National Championship game, and two semifinal games. He also became the first player to help lead the Bison to four consecutive national tournaments. While at OBU in 1997, as assistant coach for the Bison, Niven received his Master of Education degree from East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma. He received valuable coaching experience as the Bison went 36-4 and made it to the 1997 NAIA National Championship Finals.

Niven and his wife Mandy Beth were married in 2003. They have three children, Jacob, Zack, and Emma.

Union Coaching Win/Loss Records (since 1969)