Travis Ford

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Travis Ford

Title Head coach
College Oklahoma State
Sport Basketball
Born December 29, 1969 (1969-12-29) (age 38)
Place of birth Flag of the United States Madisonville, Kentucky
Career highlights
Championships
A-10 Regular Season Championship (2007)
OVC Tournament Championship (2005)
Playing career
1989–1990
1991–1994
Missouri
Kentucky
Position Point guard
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1997–2000
2000–2005
2005–2008
2008-present
Campbellsville
Eastern Kentucky
UMass
Oklahoma State

Travis Ford (born December 29, 1969 in Madisonville, Kentucky, United States) is currently the head basketball coach at Oklahoma State University. He was previously the head coach at Campbellsville University, Eastern Kentucky University, and the University of Massachusetts. Prior to that, he played at the University of Missouri and the University of Kentucky. He also played the character Danny O'Grady in the 1997 movie The Sixth Man.

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[edit] Playing career

After attending Madisonville North Hopkins High School, Ford entered the University of Missouri in 1989. He played basketball for the Missouri Tigers and was named to the Big Eight Conference All-Freshman team. The following year, Ford transferred to the University of Kentucky. After playing sparingly his sophomore year, Ford was a starter during his junior and senior years, and set school records in single-game assists (15), single-season three-point field goals (101) and consecutive free throws made (50). Ford was named to the All-SEC team his junior and senior year, and was recognized as the Southeast Region's Most Outstanding Player in the 1993 NCAA Tournament.

After an unsuccessful attempt at an NBA career, Ford landed the role of Danny O'Grady in the 1997 movie The Sixth Man, starring Marlon Wayans and Kadeem Hardison.

[edit] Coaching career

[edit] Campbellsville University

In 1997, Ford was offered a head coaching position at NAIA school Campbellsville University in Campbellsville, Kentucky. Ford accepted the position, and in 1999 led the Tigers to a 28–3 record, earning Mid-South Conference Coach of the Year honors.

[edit] Eastern Kentucky University

In 2000, Ford accepted the head coaching position at Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, Kentucky. In 5 seasons at EKU, Ford led the Colonels from a 7–19 record his first year to a 22–9 record and an Ohio Valley Conference championship in 2005. In a much publicized first-round NCAA Tournament matchup with his alma mater, the University of Kentucky, Ford's team pushed the Wildcats to the limit before losing 72–64.

[edit] UMass

After the 2004-05 season, Ford accepted the head coaching position at the University of Massachusetts. During his first season, 2005-06, with the Minutemen, Ford posted a 13–15 record, 8–8 in the Atlantic 10 Conference. The 2006-07 season saw Ford coach UMass to the fifth most wins in school history with an overall mark of 24–9. The team shared the Atlantic 10 Conference regular season title with Xavier, going 13–3, but lost to Saint Louis in the second round of the Atlantic 10 tournament. After earning a #4-seed in the postseason NIT Tournament, UMass defeated Alabama before losing in the second round to eventual NIT champion West Virginia. The team featured Atlantic 10 Player of the Year Stephane Lasme. After the season ended, Ford's name was circulated as a long-shot replacement for the head coaching position at Ford's alma mater, the University of Kentucky.

Through the 2007-08 season, Ford's Division I coaching record stands at 123–116 (51%), and 190–146 (56.6%)overall (67–31 (54%)at Campbellsville, 61–80 (43%) at EKU, 62–35 (64%) at UMass).

Record at UMass:

  • 2005-06 season — 13–15
  • 2006-07 season — 24–9
  • 2007-08 season — 25–11

[edit] Oklahoma State University

On April 10, 2007, UMass announced that Ford had signed a five-year contract extension.[1] However, on April 16, 2008, Ford became the head basketball coach of the Oklahoma State Cowboys.

[edit] References