After graduating from Downey High School in 1956, Bobby Dye played basketball for Fullerton Junior College for two years and transferred to Idaho State University where he played for two years and became a member of the Idaho State Hall of Fame. He began his coaching career at Saint John Bosco High School in Bellflower, California. After three years, he became an assistant at Cerritos Junior College before becoming the head coach at Santa Monica Junior College, where he posted a six year record of 115-50, winning the California State Championship in 1971-72 and the Coach of the Year award.
Following his successful career at Santa Monica, Bobby Dye became head coach at Cal State Fullerton in 1973. He guided the Titans to a seven year record of 110-77 and two Pacific Coast Athletic Association Championships. In 1978, he led the Titans to the PCAA title and advanced to the NCAA Division I Final Eight for the National Championship before losing to the University of Arkansas. His next stop was Cal State Bakersfield, where he guided the Roadrunners to an impressive record of 50-11, an 81.9 winning percentage. Included were back to back trips to the final four of the NCAA Division II National Tournament and named Division II Coach of the Year following the 1981-82 season. Recruited in 1983, Bobby Dye became the head coach at Boise State University, where he coached for 12 years, making this basketball program one of the premier programs in the Northwest. Averaging 18 victories a season, winning three Big Sky Conference Tournaments and two Big Sky regular season championships, he sent six teams to national post season play. He became the most successful coach at Boise State University, with an overall record of 213-133. In the 1994-95 season, Bobby Dye ranked 36th among his peers of 301 active NCAA Division I coaches. He became the all-time most winning coach in Big Sky History in December, 1994. He earned four Big Sky Coach of the Year awards during his tenure at BSU.
In March of 1991, Bobby Dye inducted into the California State Junior College Hall of Fame. He was named in the alumni category which included only three other members at that time, Jim Killingsworth, Lute Olson and Jerry Tarkanian. After resigning at BSU in August, 1995, Bob worked with a group of investors in Boise to form the Idaho franchise of the Continental Basketball Association (CBA). He coached the Idaho Stampede in 1997-98 taking them to the playoffs in their inaugural year. Although Bobby has officially retired from coaching, he often mentors coaches and players alike, sharing with them his experiences from his many years as winning coach. Bob enjoys retirement in Carlsbad, California with his wife Connie, keeping in touch with his two daughters, and two grandchildren, and of course, watching sports of all kinds.