Bill Cofield
Encyclopedia
William Lawrence "Bill" Cofield (September 21, 1939 – June 20, 1983) was an American
basketball
coach
and was the first African American
head coach of a major sport in the Big Ten Conference
when he was hired by the University of Wisconsin–Madison
in 1976.
. He played college basketball at Casper Junior College in Casper, Wyoming
and at McKendree University in Lebanon, Illinois
, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Physical Education in 1963. He received his master's degree in Physical Education from the University of Kentucky
in 1967.
His first year of collegiate coaching came at Kentucky State University
, where he spent one year as an assistant before being named to head the Lincoln University of Pennsylvania
team. His two-year record of 38-12 included two conference championships and NAIA playoff berths.
Cofield moved to Prairie View A&M University
in Prairie View, Texas
and posted a 57-48 record in four years. His 1972-73 squad went 19-8 and placed second in the Southwestern Athletic Conference
.
Cofield became the nation's first black athletic director and head coach at a predominantly white institution of higher learning by accepting both positions at the College of Racine in 1973. Following a 14-15 season, the school went out of business. Cofield joined the University of Virginia
staff, where he served as an assistant under head coach Terry Holland
for two seasons prior to accepting the Wisconsin job.
Cofield coached at Wisconsin for six seasons. His best team was his 1979-80 team, which posted a record of 15-14 and had future NBA
players Wes Matthews
and Claude Gregory
on its roster.
Cofield is a member of the McKendree University Sports Hall of Fame. He died at age 42 in Madison, Wisconsin
in 1983.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
and was the first African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
head coach of a major sport in the Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
when he was hired by the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
in 1976.
Background
Cofield was born and raised in Carrier Mills, IllinoisCarrier Mills, Illinois
Carrier Mills, formerly Carriers Mills and Morrilsville, also known as Catskin, is a village in Saline County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,886 at the 2000 census. Carrier Mills was named after George Washington Carrier and his saw and grist mill, and was one of the early Cairo...
. He played college basketball at Casper Junior College in Casper, Wyoming
Casper, Wyoming
Casper is the county seat of Natrona County, Wyoming, United States.. Casper is the second-largest city in Wyoming , according to the 2010 census, with a population of 55,316...
and at McKendree University in Lebanon, Illinois
Lebanon, Illinois
Lebanon is a city in St. Clair County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,523 at the 2000 census. Like many other places in "Little Egypt" or Southern Illinois, Lebanon was named after the Middle Eastern country of the same name. It is a part of the Metro-East region of the Greater St...
, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Physical Education in 1963. He received his master's degree in Physical Education from the University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
in 1967.
Career
His first coaching assignment was at H.E. Davis Junior High School in Cleveland, Ohio in 1963. After two years he was named to coach East-Technical High School in Cleveland, where his team went 20-1 in 1965-66.His first year of collegiate coaching came at Kentucky State University
Kentucky State University
Kentucky State University is a four-year institution of higher learning, located in Frankfort, Kentucky, United States, the Commonwealth's capital. The school is an historically black university, which desegregated in 1954...
, where he spent one year as an assistant before being named to head the Lincoln University of Pennsylvania
Lincoln University (Pennsylvania)
Lincoln University is the United States' first degree-granting historically black university. It is located near the town of Oxford in southern Chester County, Pennsylvania. The university also hosts a Center for Graduate Studies in the City of Philadelphia. Lincoln University provides...
team. His two-year record of 38-12 included two conference championships and NAIA playoff berths.
Cofield moved to Prairie View A&M University
Prairie View A&M University
Prairie View A&M University is a historically black university located in Prairie View, Texas and is a member of the Texas A&M University System. PVAMU offers baccalaureate degrees in 50 academic majors, 37 master’s degrees and four doctoral degree programs through nine colleges and schools...
in Prairie View, Texas
Prairie View, Texas
Prairie View is a city in Waller County, Texas, United States. The population was 4,410 at the 2000 census.Prairie View A&M University is located in the city.-Geography:Prairie View is located at ....
and posted a 57-48 record in four years. His 1972-73 squad went 19-8 and placed second in the Southwestern Athletic Conference
Southwestern Athletic Conference
The Southwestern Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, which is made up of historically black universities in the Southern United States...
.
Cofield became the nation's first black athletic director and head coach at a predominantly white institution of higher learning by accepting both positions at the College of Racine in 1973. Following a 14-15 season, the school went out of business. Cofield joined the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
staff, where he served as an assistant under head coach Terry Holland
Terry Holland
Michael Terrence "Terry" Holland is the Athletics Director and Executive Assistant to Chancellor Steve Ballard at East Carolina University...
for two seasons prior to accepting the Wisconsin job.
Cofield coached at Wisconsin for six seasons. His best team was his 1979-80 team, which posted a record of 15-14 and had future NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
players Wes Matthews
Wes Matthews
Wesley Joel Matthews is a retired American basketball player.-Basketball career:A 6'1" point guard from the University of Wisconsin–Madison - after graduating from Warren Harding High School in Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1977 - Matthews was selected by the Washington Bullets with the 14th pick of...
and Claude Gregory
Claude Gregory
Claude Andre Gregory is a retired American professional basketball player. He was a 6'8" 205 lb forward and played collegiately at the University of Wisconsin. He played for two National Basketball Association teams.Gregory was selected by the Washington Bullets with the 18th pick in the 2nd...
on its roster.
Cofield is a member of the McKendree University Sports Hall of Fame. He died at age 42 in Madison, Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
in 1983.