University of Missouri Athletics

Ron Coleman, from Jefferson City, Missouri, was a standout shooting guard who was one of Mizzou’s top scorers of all-time. He led Missouri in scoring in 1966 (21.3 points per game) and 1967 (20.4 ppg), making him one of only four Tigers to average 20 or more points in two seasons, joining legends Derrick Chievous, John Brown and Willie Smith. He averaged 17.8 points per game for his career and scored 1,295 points. He was the Big Eight Conference’s top scorer in 1966 and was voted a team captain as a senior in 1967. Coleman played professional basketball in the NBA with San Diego, after being selected in the 9th round of the 1967 NBA Draft. As a coach, he won four Public High League championships at Vashon High School in St. Louis and his 1971 team won the Missouri state title. He was also head coach at Saint Louis University, then spent a long tenure as head coach and athletic director at Lincoln University (1980-91) in his hometown. He also lettered in baseball at MU in 1966. His daughter, Candace, attended MU and was a member of the Golden Girls’ national championship team in the early 1990s.