The Missouri Basketball Coaches Association is proud to release the 2018 Hall of Fame class. Enjoy the Induction Speeches from class of 2018 below along with their coaching bios.
MBCA ceremony was held on Saturday, April 21, 2018 at 12:00 PM.
Inductees include: Earl Austin, Jr., Brad Conway, Brad Gaines, Jerry Kirksey, Julie Matheny, Randy Reed, Darren Taylor, Mike Wilson.
Earl Austin, Jr.
There are few in Missouri who do more to promote basketball in the state than Earl Austin Jr. Earl is a gentleman who is as positive as anyone is in the media. He supports kids and promotes them and our great game. As a player, Earl recently had his jersey retired (the first in school history) by Lindenwood University. As an announcer, Earl has served on the St. Louis University Men's basketball team media broadcasts for the past 25 years. Austin is also a local sports historian who has penned three books and produced one DVD on basketball history in the St. Louis area. His latest book, You Might Need a Jacket II: More Hilarious Stories of Wacky Sports Parents, is the second book his a series and is a culmination of more than 20 years of witnessing “straitjacket parent” behavior at youth sports events. For several years, Austin promoted players and teams in a yearly newsletter that promoted basketball in St. Louis and throughout Missouri. "If they have game I've got their name", was the mantra of Austin who seems to never forget a player or game!
Currently, he is the sports editor of the St. Louis American, which is one of the top African-American newspapers in the country. Austin also writes for Prep Hoops Missouri promoting athletes throughout the state.
Brad Conway
Brad Conway has maintained a level of coaching success that would be hard to match in the State of Missouri. Brad’s tenure has included stops at Albany, Carrollton, Salem, St. James, Jefferson R-7 and currently at Jefferson City High School. For the past 28 years, Brad has demonstrated that he has what it takes to run an outstanding program. Brad has amassed a career coaching record of 491 wins and 239 loses. His tenure has included three trips to the Final Four; with one 4th-place finish and two 3rd place finishes. He also has won eight district titles and six Four Rivers Conference titles as well as being recognized by his coaching peers as “Coach of the Year” on numerous occasions. Conway was taught the full value of serving others in the early years of his life, by dedicating six years to the Missouri National Guard. Those servant leadership opportunities stay with him to this day in service to his school and community. Conway has also served the Missouri State Basketball Coaches Association since 1999. He has served as a representative of the South Central Region, on the All-State Committee, on the MSHSAA advisory board, and as chair of the MBCA Hall of Fame Committee. Most recently, Conway was named President-Elect of the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association and will begin that role in the fall. A transformational coach, Conway has many outstanding qualities as a teacher and coach, but even more as a person. Honest and forthright with students, faculty, and other constituents associated within the school Conway has proven a knowledgeable coach who does it the right way repeatedly showing love for sports, education and the development of young student- athletes. Brad is married to Teresa and has a daughter, Brittany.
Brad Gaines
In 1973, he began his 45-year coaching career at Orrick High School Coaching Football, Basketball and Track. Over those 45 years, he has continued coaching all three sports. His record while serving as a Head Football Coach at Orrick & Oak Grove was 205 wins and 91 losses winning one state title and finishing runner-up twice. His Head Girls Basketball coaching career record was 480 Wins and 237 Losses. While serving as the Head Coach at Oak Grove for 20 seasons, he compiled a record of 404 wins and 157 losses, making two Final Four appearances and in 1992 finishing 31-0 and winning the Class 3 state title. During those 20 seasons, his teams made five state Quarterfinal appearances won seven District Titles, and 13 conference titles. He has been inducted into both the Greater Kansas City Football and Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame and has also received Hall of Fame Honors by the Missouri State Football Coaches Association. He continues coaching today as assistant basketball and football at Raymore-Peculiar High School. He is the Father of Casey Gaines and Katy Greer, and the proud Grandfather of four grandsons; Conner, Ross Tucker and Gunner, and 1 granddaughter Maddie.
Jerry Kirksey
Jerry Kirksey had a stellar playing career at Halfway and Buffalo High School playing along side brother Mike as each earned all-state honors and helped their team to a third place finish and a Blue and Gold Championship. A 3-year starter for Eddie Mathews at Southwest Missouri State University, Kirksey was a member of the 1957-58 team that finished second in the nation, he was named MVP of the MIAA tournament his junior year and he made the All-Tournament team in every college tournament he ever played in. Kirksey is as member of the Missouri State University Athletic Hall of Fame.
During his coaching career, Jerry Kirksey was a high school coach for eight seasons, an assistant college coach for eight seasons and a head college coach for 12 seasons. At the high school level Kirksey guided Houston, Weaubleau, and Stockton winning three regional championships and four district titles.
Kirksey found success at each college stop. As the assistant coach, UMR garnered six winning conference seasons, an MIAA championship, and two National Tournament appearances. He led Henderson State to a pair of National Tournaments and guided Drury a National Championship. Kirksey’s last coaching stop was Southwest Baptist University where he spent eight seasons and guided five teams to top 25 rankings in the nation. He went to two National Tournaments, won one MIAA Championship and an MIAA Tournament Championship with a #2 national ranking and an Elite 8 appearance, and was named NCAA II National Coach of the Year. Jerry Kirksey spent 28 years as an ultra-successful basketball coach. 28 years of stories, memories and more accomplishments than can be mentioned today. Accomplishments shared by him, his coaches, his teams and anyone who watched them play. When asked about his accomplishments he always down plays his own contributions and gives credit to his players. He was and is a builder of relationships. From the starters to the managers, any member of his team became a member of his family. His players loved him and many of them remain in contact with him today.
Coach Julie Matheny is a very familiar name in the St. Louis, and state of Missouri, basketball scene. Coach Matheny was a graduate of St. Joseph’s Academy and St. Louis University where she played basketball for four years. In 1992, St. Joseph’s Academy hired her as an assistant and during that time, the Lady Angels won six District titles and won three State Championships. In 1999, Coach Matheny was named the Head Girl’s Basketball coach at St. Joseph’s Academy and has been there ever since. She has won 15 District titles and her teams have made nine Final Four trips, winning one state title. She has an overall record of 422-164 and has been named multiple Coach of the Year awards, including the St. Louis Dispatch (1999) and the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association (2004). Coach Matheny served on the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association Board of Directors for several years as the St. Louis Girls Representative. She has been extremely involved in several associations and held leadership positions for the St. Joseph’s Academy Development Board, the St. Louis Business Travel Association, St. Louis University Billiken Club, and Get in the Game among others. She was named St. Joseph’s Academy’s Distinguished Alumnae Award in 2012 and supports several youth organizations and charities in the St. Louis area. She currently works for TravelPlex/Tzell Corporate Travel and is married to Tom Matheny (18 years) and has two stepchildren, Robin and Ryan, and five step grandchildren, Courtney, Kyle, Luke, Tyler, and Sydney.
Randy Reed
Randy has been able to develop a winning culture in every program under his guidance. The level of life goals and understanding success off the court has also been of great value and a blueprint for his players to follow. Coach Reed has an overall high school record of 372-152.
Reed coached at McCluer North for 16 years, compiling a record of 312-131. Winning seven District Championships in one of the most competitive districts in the state. His teams reached the Class 5 Final Four championship game four times, winning 3 state championships in 2007, 2011 and again in 2012. Twice his team finished ranked in the USA Today top 25 and were honored by Max-Preps and the U.S. National Guard as a top 25 program in 2012. Reed was selected Coach of the Year by the Missouri Sportswriters and Broadcasters in 2011 and 2012 as well as St. Louis Post Dispatch Metro Coach of the Year each year. Reed coached at St. Louis Community College at Forest Park for 2 years, compiling a record of 36-28. In 2013-2014 Reed guided his team to a No. 8 finish in the nation, the first time SLCC advanced to nationals, earning Regional 16 Coach of the Year honors. Presently Coach Reed is coaching at Cardinal Ritter College Prep where he has compiled a record of 60-21, winning two conference championships and two district titles. Coach Reed has won several conference and district titles as well as several coaching honors. He has also coached and mentored several players the past 20 years that have continued at the next level.
Darren Taylor
Darren Taylor is a graduate of Willow Springs High School and Missouri State University. Taylor began his coaching career at Hartville High School as an assistant coach to Denny Hunt. He was named Head Coach the next season and began a ten-year stint for the Eagles. During his time at Hartville, he posted a record of 221-57, including four District Championships, a Quarterfinal appearance, Blue and Gold Championship (last Class 2 School to accomplish this), six conference championships, and two Final Fours. He was named Class 2 Richard Fairchild Coach of the Year. Taylor then moved to Reeds Spring and Mansfield each for a season before landing his current position at Greenwood Laboratory School in 2003. During his time at Greenwood, his teams have won two District Championships, made a Quarterfinal appearance and continued to compete at a high level. Coach Taylor has amassed a career record of 501-209 and out of his 27 seasons of coaching has only had one losing season. He was also named the Jack Roberts Memorial Coach of the Year in Springfield in 2015. He has coached ten All-State Players and seven that have moved on to compete at the collegiate level. Coach Taylor has also been the Athletic Director for fifteen years. He and his wife, Kathy, have two daughters Blayke, 16, and Paige, 20.
Mike Wilson
Coach Mike Wilson is a graduate and former player of College of the Ozarks with a degree in Physical Education. He is a graduate of Williams Woods University with a Master in Secondary Educational Administration and earned an Education Specialist Degree from Southwest Baptist University. Coach Wilson has over 35 years of experience in the basketball realm. He has been extremely successful coaching high school boy’s basketball. Coach Wilson has had multiple winning seasons. He began coaching career as an assistant at Hartville High School. He has also coached at Sparta, Forsyth, and for the last 12 years, Strafford High School. During his prolific head coaching career of 28 years, he has amassed 10 District Championships, four Final Four appearances and has a career record of 517-225. He was also named Missouri Basketball Coaches Association Class 3 Boys Coach of the Year in 2015. He is married to Lori and they have two sons, Derek (wife Liz) and Conner.
For additional information on individual inductees, please contact Jeni Hopkins, Jenihopkins@missouristate.edu