Muskingum Names Geno Ford Head Coach
4/5/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Ford replaces the current President of the National Association of Basketball Coaches Dr. Jim Burson, who recently announced he was taking a sabbatical during the 2005-06 season and retiring from Muskingum in 2006.
"Finding a worthy successor to a coach of the stature of Jim Burson is a challenge; we believe we have met that challenge in Geno Ford," said Dr. Steele.
Ford enjoyed great success at Kent State. He helped guide the Golden Flashes to a 64-31 overall record, which included three straight 20-win seasons, two Mid-American Conference (MAC) East Division titles, two appearances in the MAC Tournament Championship game and three consecutive postseason appearances in the National Invitation Tournament.
"I'm extremely excited and happy to have the chance to come home and coach at Muskingum College," said Ford. "I carry a very high opinion of the Muskingum athletic tradition. To have the opportunity to follow Coach Burson's legacy is an honor. I'm looking forward to becoming a part of the Muskingum College family."
Prior to arriving at Kent State, Ford had a successful year as head coach at Shawnee State University in Portsmouth, Ohio, where he led the team to a 22-10 record and second-place finish in the American Mideast Conference (AMC) in 2002. The 22 wins was a 10-game improvement from the 2001 season for the Bears. For his efforts, he was named the AMC Coach of the Year.
"We are thrilled that Geno Ford will lead the men's basketball program," said Muskingum Director of Athletics Larry Shank. "He brings the experience of coaching and building winning programs. His track record as a Division I assistant and Division II head coach makes him the perfect person to build upon our men's basketball tradition."
Prior to his responsibilities at Shawnee State, Ford was an assistant coach at his alma mater, Ohio University, for two seasons (1999-2001) and a graduate assistant for one year (1998-99) as well. During that time, the Bobcats posted a record of 57-34.
During his OU playing days (1993-97), Ford finished with 1,752 career points and was named to the All-MAC First Team as a senior after garnering second-team accolades as a junior. The Bobcats also made one appearance in both the NCAA Tournament and National Invitation Tournament.
Ford holds a bachelor's degree in organizational communication from Ohio in 1997 and a master's degree in athletic administration from the school in 1999.
The Cambridge, Ohio, native was named "Mr. Basketball" by the Ohio Associated Press in 1993. His father, Muskingum alumnus Gene Ford ('74), just completed his 24th year as head boys basketball coach at Cambridge High School.
Ford is married to the former Traci Lyons. The couple have two sons, Darin (9) and David (1).
