As Mt. Lebanon High School girls’ basketball coach, Dori Oldaker had a way of mixing her core tenets with a penchant for staying on the cutting edge. It was a formula that served her and the
school well.

So well that the WPIAL will induct her into its Hall of Fame in June.

“I think that she has an unbelievable love of the game,” Lebo athletic director John Grogan said. “She has a love for the kids that she had a chance to work with. And I think that, like a lot of good coaches, she grew to love the dynamics of being a good coach.

“She was always trying to learn, always trying to find ways to get her message across better.”

Consider the message received. In coaching the Blue Devils from 2003-04 through 2021-22, Oldaker compiled a 390-121 record, with four WPIAL titles and three PIAA championships, including an undefeated season in 2008-09.

Before Lebo, she led Blackhawk to a 105-18 record, with two WPIAL and two PIAA titles, and was an assistant for one season at Pitt.

“A thing that I like to reflect on is having a positive culture, a culture that cares about each other and cares about not just themselves, but playing for each other,” Oldaker said.

As one of her tenets, Oldaker was known for being strict – “I was never their buddy. I used to tease and say that I had enough friends. I’m not their mom. I’m not their aunt. I’m their coach,” she said. Yet once the girls graduated, she kept in touch with and is friends with many.

“She was an excellent coach,” said Emily Smith of Upper St. Clair, who in high school was Emily Wilson, class of 2009, part of that undefeated state title team. She is one of those who has kept in touch.

“She was so hard-working, disciplined. She was very tough. But she was also very fair. She was so involved. She had a high standard for all of the players on the court, whether that be academically, socially, making sure that we followed the rules. That’s how I did my best work. I really liked the discipline, the rules.”

Oldaker’s X’s and O’s philosophy revolved around an up-tempo pace, a stifling man-to-man defense and creating offense out of the transition game. She also was something of a master when it came to preparation, including the use of video study, even before the popular Hudl exchange service existed.

“We were so well prepared for every single game,” Smith said. “Not only physically, but we watched so much film. We knew our matchups. We knew who the other teams’ best players were, who was a good shooter.”

Oldaker and her family live in South Fayette. She resigned from Lebo after the 2021-22 season to more closely follow the South Fayette High School basketball careers of daughters Taylor, who has since graduated, and Ryan, a rising senior.

“It was tough for both of us,” Grogan said of Oldaker’s decision to step down. “I don’t think she gave it up easily. I remember telling her, ‘Dori, this is probably the easiest hard decision you’ve ever had.’

“She was just a terrific ambassador for Mt. Lebanon and our athletic program for so many years.”

Oldaker has been asked repeatedly if she will eventually look to get back to being a head coach.

“From my heart I say I do not regret my decision,” she said. “Right now, I coach my daughter’s AAU team in the summer, and I’m an assistant with the fifth grade boys’ Lebo basketball team. I dabble a little bit with that, and it kind of gives me the satisfaction, the dopamine.

“Never say never, but I’m pretty happy.”