Bringing college, high school and AAU basketball coaching experience with him, Willie Cox enters his fourth season as Director of Recruiting, and ninth overall on staff for Mizzou Women’s Basketball. Cox’s experience and well-respected reputation makes him a vital part of the Tiger Basketball program. He works with the rest of the staff to maintain successful recruiting efforts.
Cox has played a large part in the reinvigoration of the Missouri Women’s Basketball program during his first seven years on staff. With Cox’s assistance, the Mizzou Women’s Basketball program has made great strides. The Tigers have recorded six consecutive winning seasons for the first time since 1984-90. Mizzou is coming off its third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance in 2017-18, the first time Mizzou has reached the Big Dance in three straight seasons since 1983-86.
Cox’s recruiting efforts, vast experience and networking capabilities helped the Tigers land top recruits throughout the roster, including Sophie Cunningham, the first McDonald’s High School All-American to join the program. Cox also played an integral part in the recruitment of Jordan Frericks, who earned second-team All-SEC recognition in 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2017-18. Cox helped Mizzou land three top-70 ranked recruits in the 2018 recruiting class, highlighted by Grace Berg, who ranked No. 36 overall in espnW’s HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings.Â
Before coming to Mizzou, Cox served as an assistant coach at Illinois State for Robin Pingeton since 2003. During his seven years on the Redbird sidelines, Cox helped the program establish itself as a force to be reckoned with. Illinois State - which had not had a winning season since 1997 - accomplished the feat six of the seven years Cox was an assistant. Cox also helped ISU to three Missouri Valley Conference Regular Season titles and five postseason berths, including two trips to the NCAA Tournament (2004-05 and 2007-08) and three WNIT appearances.
In the 2009-10 season, Illinois State posted a 28-8 record, which tied the program record for wins, en route to its third consecutive conference regular season crown and a run to the semifinals of the WNIT. In all, the Redbirds had a 144-76 mark during Cox’s time on the sidelines, including an 81-23 mark the past three seasons.
Prior to Illinois State, Cox held the position of head coach of the Peoria Central High School girls basketball team and established Push the Rock, a successful girls amateur basketball program in Peoria. He led Peoria Central to the 2000 and 2001 Illinois High School Association State Tournaments and earned Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Coach of the Year honors both those years. During his time at Peoria Central and Push the Rock, seven of his players earned college scholarships.
Cox started his coaching career at his alma mater, Bradley, during the 1980s. While on the men’s basketball staff for the Braves, Cox coached future NBA stars Hersey Hawkins and Jim Les. Cox worked with the Braves for seven seasons beginning in the 1982-83 campaign, assisting the team to a winning record in all but one season. During the 1985-86 season, Cox helped guide the Braves to a 32-3 overall record and a 16-0 record in conference play. His Braves closed out their year in the second round of the NCAA Championship. With that trip to the Big Dance under his belt, Cox worked with the Braves to make another appearance at the NCAA Championship in the 1987-88 season. With Cox’s direction, the Braves finished 26-5 overall and 12-2 in conference play.
He then spent 1989-93 as an assistant coach for the men’s basketball team at Loyola Chicago. After his time with the Ramblers, Cox returned to Peoria to work with girls basketball. In 1996, he led his 14-under and 16-under teams to American Youth Basketball Tournament national titles.
Cox also spent 12 years as a counselor with Peoria School District 150 and time with the Peoria Housing Authority in the 1980s.
During his high school career (1970-1974), Cox was a three-sport athlete, playing football, basketball and baseball. Playing for Rich Tradition Thornton Township high school in Harvey, Ill., Cox helped lead his teams to the playoffs each season. After his high school career, Cox headed to Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. While in Atchison, Cox was a member of the Ravens basketball and baseball teams, and he boasted a .347 batting average. After two seasons, Cox transferred to Bradley to finish his degree.
Cox earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education at Bradley in 1982. He and his wife, Juanita, have three daughters, Cassandra, Tamara and Anissa, and four grandchildren, Alandrea, Brian, Charleston and Chanceton.
