Photo Credit: Go Blue Raiders.comMURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Former Middle Tennessee State University Head Coach and player died Tuesday at the age of 79.
School officials said Trickey played basketball at Middle Tennessee from 1952-55 and served as head coach from 1965-69.
"This is a sad day for the Blue Raider family as we learned of the passing of Ken Trickey," said Director of Athletics Chris Massaro. "A trailblazer for men's basketball at Middle Tennessee, Trickey signed the first African-American basketball players and attracted fans with an up-tempo style of play. Our hearts are heavy as we remember this Middle Tennessee basketball."
Trickey was said to be a "Middle Tennessee basketball trailblazer." Over his career at the school he scored 1,456 points and currently ranks seventh on the Raiders'all-time list. He also captain of the first Blue Raider basketball team to play at the 1955 NAIA Nationals in Kansas City.
Trickey was coaching the Blue Raiders when they beat ORU 115-89. That convinced the Rev. Oral Roberts to pursue Trickey as his program's coach the following year.
Trickey led Oral Roberts to the round of eight in the NCAA tournament in 1974 and was the school's wins leader until Scott Sutton passed him last year. Trickey had a 214-116 record in two stints at ORU, from 1969 to `74 and from 1987 to `93.
Trickey also coached at Oklahoma City University.
Memorial services are pending. Contributions in Trickey 's memory can be made to Alzheimers and Dementia research.
(The Associated Press Contributed To This Report.)
