2008-09 Men's Basketball
Geno Ford
- Class:
- Redshirt
Geno Ford is in his second season as Head Coach after taking the reigns of the program last year. The 23rd head coach in the 93-year history of Kent State basketball, Ford has the team primed to carry forward the school’s tradition of excellence.
In just the first season under his supervision, the historic KSU program led the Mid-American Conference in scoring for the first time since joining the league 57 years ago. The team also shot a conference-best 44 percent from the field to become just the second team to top the MAC in the category in consecutive years since 1978.
With a 19-15 overall record, the Golden Flashes capped off the year with a berth in the inaugural CollegeInsider.com Tournament to give the program a 10th postseason appearance in 11 years including all five seasons Ford has been on staff. The regular season was highlighted by an eight-game wining streak - the longest by KSU since 2003-04 and a 10-6 conference record.
The 19 victories also had Ford ranked among the top head coaches in the nation. The Kent State mentor racked up the third most wins by a first-year Division I head coach last year and was ninth in the country among head coaches in their first year at a new school.
Academically the Golden Flashes were also highly successful as five student-athletes were honored at the 26th Annual Judith K. Devine Athletic Academic Honors Dinner including four who received Academic Athletic Excellence Awards. The academic achievements were felt immediately under Ford’s regime as the team produced its highest fall semester grade point average ever.
“We are extremely proud of the classroom progress we’ve made in the past year,” said Ford, “To achieve our highest G.P.A. is an accomplishment and a testament to our focus on academics here at Kent State. We have a great academic support staff that is committed to giving our kids the best opportunity to succeed as students.”
Ford came to Kent State with 10 years of coaching experience, including three as a head coach. In his previous stints as a head coach he compiled a 51-32 (.614) record at Shawnee State University and Muskingum College. No stranger to KSU’s commitment to excellence, he helped lead the program to a 92-38 (.708) record during his two previous tenures on the coaching staff. Ford rejoined the Golden Flashes in 2007-08 after spending the prior two seasons as the head coach at Muskingum.
Immediately after returning to the KSU family in the summer of 2007, Ford led the Golden Flashes’ recruiting efforts of 2008 Mid-American Conference Player of the Year, Al Fisher. Led by a team high 13.9 points and 4.0 assists per game from Fisher, Kent State went 28-7 and 13-3 in the MAC winning both the regular season and tournament titles. The Golden Flashes earned a No. 9 seed in the NCAA Tournament, the highest seed in school history.
In Ford’s first stint on the staff from 2002-05, KSU won over 20 games each season, qualified for three straight National Invitational Tournaments and won a pair of MAC East Division titles.
“Geno has played an integral part in continuing the solid foundation of excellence put in place here at Kent State,” said Kennedy, “His experience allows the program to move forward with a strong recruiting base and a national profile.”
A Cambridge, Ohio native, Ford started his career as a college head coach at Shawnee State University in 2001-02, earning American Mideast Conference Coach of the Year honors in his lone season. He guided the Bears to a school record 22 victories and a 10-game improvement from the previous season. Under his tutelage he groomed a First Team All-American and AMC Player of the Year as well as three other all-conference honorees in 2002.
In just his first season at Muskingum in 2005-06, Ford led the Muskies to their best record (17-9) in 15 years. In all, he oversaw four All-OAC selections, including two first team picks with the Muskies.
Ford began his coaching career at his alma mater, Ohio University, under current Western Carolina Head Coach Larry Hunter. He served as a graduate assistant for one season (1998-99) and was promoted to assistant coach, where he remained for two more seasons. During that time the Bobcats went 57-34, including 35-18 in the MAC.
In all, he has built an impressive coaching resume posting a 219-119 record in his 11 seasons as a head coach and an assistant.
An outstanding guard at Ohio, Ford helped the Bobcats reach the NCAA Tournament in 1994, winning the MAC Championship while recording a 25-8 overall record. The next season, Ohio qualified for the postseason NIT after capturing the preseason NIT title with a defeat of New Mexico State at Madison Square Garden.
Ford finished his playing career with 1,752 points, earning All-MAC First Team honors as a senior and All-MAC Second Team honors as a junior.
After college, the fifth leading scorer in Ohio University history spent the 1997-98 season as a player/coach for the Leicester Riders of the British Basketball League.
One of the most prolific scorers in Ohio High School history, he was tabbed “Mr. Basketball” in 1993 by the Ohio Associated Press following his senior season at Cambridge High School in which he averaged 35.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game.
Playing for his father, Gene, the 5’9” guard poured in 2,680 career points, ranking him third all-time in the state ahead of LeBron James (2,646). He was inducted into the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference Hall of Fame in 2004.
After 24 years as the head coach at Cambridge, the elder Ford took over at Muskingum - his alma mater - in 2007-08.
At 35 Ford is the seventh youngest NCAA Division I Head Coach. He 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.
Ford and his wife, Traci, have been married for 14 years and have two sons, Darin (13) and David (5).
Most Wins by First Year Division I Head Coaches in 2008-09
- Ken McDonald, Western Kentucky 25
- Johnny Dawkins, Stanford 20
- Geno Ford, Kent State 19
- Mark Phelps, Drake 17
- Don Verlin, Idaho 17
- John Groce, Ohio 15
- Pat Knight, Texas Tech 14
- George Ivory, Arkansas Pine Bluff 13
- Derek Kellogg, Massachusetts 12
- Counzo Martin, Missouri State 11
The Geno Ford File
Birthdate: Oct. 11, 1974
Hometown: Cambridge, Ohio
Family: Wife Traci, sons, Darin and David
Alma Mater: Ohio University, bachelor’s degree in organizational communication; master’s degree in athletic administration
Playing Experience
• Ohio University, four-year letterwinner (1993-97)
• All-MAC First Team; Academic All-MAC
• 1,752 Career points - Fifth All-Time at Ohio
• Member of 1994 MAC Championship and 1995 Preseason NIT Championship teams
• 1993 Ohio High School ‘Mr. Basketball’ at Cambridge High School
• Averaged 35.9 ppg as a high school senior.
• Ranks third all-time in state history in career points.
• Scored more points (2,680) than LeBron James (2,646).
• Holds the OHSAA state record for free throws in a season (288) and career (697).
• Inducted to the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference Hall of Fame in 2004.
Coaching Experience
• Kent State University Head Coach, 2008-present
• Kent State University Assistant Coach, 2002-05; 2007-08
• Muskingum College Head Coach, 2005-07
• Shawnee State University Head Coach, 2001-02
• Ohio University Assistant Coach, 1999-2001
• Ohio University Graduate Assistant, 1998-99
