[3] During his sophomore year at Coeur d'Alene High School, the Vikings won the state title under longtime coach Elmer Jordan, defeating Burley 53–43 in far-away Pocatello.
[8][9][10] (team photo) He played under Vandal head coach Charles Finley through his junior year,[11] then Harlan Hodges for his senior season.
The two had first crossed paths in December 1950, when Monson was a high school senior; he scored a dozen points and CDA defeated West Valley 35–25 in Heathcote's first game as a head coach.
The Spartans won the national championship that season, defeating the Indiana State Sycamores, led by Larry Bird, in the title game in Salt Lake City in 1979.
Monson took over a dismal Idaho basketball program from Jim Jarvis, who resigned on July 1 after four poor seasons (26–78, .250) and was under investigation by the NCAA for recruiting violations.
Monson's third season opened well, as the 1981 Vandals won their first ten games (including road wins at Nebraska, Washington State, and Gonzaga).
The Vandals finished the 1982 season at 27–3 (.900), and were ranked as high as sixth in the nation (AP and UPI polls); they were eighth in mid-January, when they were undefeated at 15–0.
[33] Don Monson was named the Kodak Coach of the Year in Division I in 1982 (photo) and rumors were rampant that he would jump to a higher league, maybe to struggling Arizona in the Pac-10.
That position was filled by Ben Lindsey (who was dismissed after one season, succeeded by Lute Olson of Iowa), and Monson chose to stay for another year at Idaho.
The 1983 Vandals returned three starters (Kellerman, Hopson, and Smith) and began the season at 12–1, repeating as Far West Classic champs in December 1982.
Idaho again defeated all four Northwest Pac-10 schools during the regular season, and also won at Gonzaga, then led by legendary point guard John Stockton.
[39] This was followed by a first round loss in the NIT against Oregon State in Corvallis on March 16, ending the Vandals' season at 20–9 (.690),[40] and Monson's five-year stint on the Palouse.
[41] Don Monson became a cult hero in the Moscow community in the early 1980s, bringing championship status to a university that had long struggled in both football and basketball.
Monson was the biggest thing to happen to Vandal basketball since Gus Johnson in 1963 (and his elevated nail at the Corner Club on Main Street).
Trumbo did not come close to equaling Monson's success, as the Vandals struggled and returned to last place in the Big Sky in each of his three seasons, going 8–34 (.190) in conference and 28–59 (.322) overall.
[16] During the "Monson Era" at Idaho, the neighboring Washington State Cougars were also doing well in basketball under head coach George Raveling, advancing to the NCAA tournament in 1980 and 1983.
A then-record (basketball) crowd of over 11,000 packed into the Kibbie Dome's south grandstand & expanded temporary bleachers to witness a four-point overtime victory for the Vandals, their 37th consecutive win at home.
The two teams played the season before Monson arrived (his last at Idaho, in the Far West Classic, a Vandal victory) and the one immediately after he departed in December 1992.
His best finish was with his 1982 Idaho Vandals, a #3 seed in the West regional that advanced to the Sweet Sixteen, and spent time in the national polls in the Top Ten.
In December 2004, Gonzaga honored Monson with the second annual "Battle in Seattle Award", presented to an individual who has demonstrated a lifelong contribution to basketball in the Pacific Northwest.
Monson only coached the 36ers for the 1993 NBL season, leading the team to a 14–14 record as the 36ers finished in 7th place, losing their quarter-final series in two games to the defending champion South East Melbourne Magic.