Muskingum president Anne Steele announced that Gene Ford has been named men's basketball coach. He replaces his son Geno Ford, who recently announced he was returning to coach at Kent State.
“We are excited to have our alumnus Gene Ford lead our men's basketball program,” said Steele. “Our student-athletes, along with the entire college community, will benefit from Gene's years of proven leadership and his breadth of experience both on and off the basketball court,” she added.
The past two years, Ford, a 1974 graduate of Muskingum, has served as assistant coach at Muskingum, where he helped guide the 2005-06 Muskies to their best record (17-9) in 15 years, a third place finish in the rugged Ohio Athletic Conference, and a trip to the OAC Tournament Final Four. Ford takes over a Muskie program that will return its top six scorers from the 2006-07 season.
Prior to his arrival at Muskingum, Ford coached for 25 years at Cambridge High School where he compiled a record of 400-183 (.687) and led his teams to 18 sectional titles, eight district crowns and five regional titles leading to five state tournament appearances. The 1994-95 team finished as the Ohio Division II state runner-up. His teams also won or shared 10 East Central Ohio League championships.
“Muskingum was very good to me,” said Ford. “I'm excited to become a part of the rich athletic tradition at Muskingum.”
Ford, who was inducted into the Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2007, was named OHSBCA Division II “Coach of the Year” in 1988 and also won “Coach of the Year” honors in the Eastern District, OVAC, ECOL and District 12. He received the OVAC's Earl Haberfield Coaches Award in 2006. He has served as president of the District 12 Basketball Coaches Association, as a trustee for the Ohio High School Athletic Association Foundation and on the Board of Directors of the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame Museum.
“His knowledge of the game of basketball is outstanding,” said Larry Shank, Muskingum's athletic director. “He will represent Muskingum well and get the most out of our players, athletically and academically,” concluded Shank.
At Muskingum, the Black & Magenta graduate was a four-year basketball letterman and still ranks second all-time in scoring with 1,717 career points. He was an All-American honoree and a three-time All-Ohio Athletic Conference selection. Ford was named the Mike Gregory OAC Player of the Year as a senior and was a charter member of the Muskingum College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1980.