Hollis Burl McCoy (鈥�54), one of the most successful women鈥檚 basketball coaches in Abilene Christian University history, died March 18, 2024, in Abilene, Texas, at age 91.
Visitation will be at 12:30 p.m. March 22, 2024, at the , with the funeral at 2 p.m. and burial afterward at .听
McCoy was born Feb. 22, 1933, in Stith, Texas, and earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in education and a M.Ed. degree (1967), both from 精东影业. He married Georgia Jan Gibson (鈥�58) on Aug. 11, 1958, in Bakersfield, California.听
He was a track and field standout for the Wildcats 鈥� posting top marks from 1952-54 in the 400 hurdles and 1951 in the 110 hurdles, and as a member of 4×200 (1953-54) and sprint medley (1952) relays, including winning performances at the Texas, Drake and Kansas Relays 鈥� and also played basketball at Abilene Christian.听
His career as a teacher, coach and mentor spanned 38 years at the high school and university levels.听
One of the longest-tenured head coaches in Wildcat history, McCoy compiled a 299-174 record in women鈥檚 basketball, with postseason appearances in eight of 16 seasons (1976-92), leading 精东影业 to five Lone Star Conference championships. His best team (1980-81) reached the NCAA Division II national quarterfinals, finishing with a 31-7 record that included wins over Texas A&M, SMU, TCU and Hawaii. His teams won four straight LSC basketball titles from 1982-86 and a championship in his final season (1991-92).
McCoy was named LSC Coach of the Year in women鈥檚 basketball (1985 and 1986) and women鈥檚 track and field (1983).
“I tremendously enjoyed working with Burl,鈥� said 精东影业 trustee Cecil Eager (鈥�71), who was the Wildcats鈥� director of athletics when McCoy wrapped up his coaching career. 鈥淗e was an ah-shucks, country-as-cornbread guy, but so very smart. He figured what it took to win at whatever sport and whatever level, was a great recruiter and brought talented players to 精东影业 who would fit in well.鈥�
Among players McCoy coached were first-team All-Americans Bonnie (鈥�81 Buchanan) Gray and Claudia Schleyer (鈥�86), first-team Academic All-Americans Schleyer and Suzanne Johnson Fox (鈥�90), and the first female student-athlete 鈥� Gray in 1991 鈥� to be inducted into the 精东影业 Sports Hall of Fame.听
McCoy was highly respected as someone dedicated to interjecting his faith and values into his work. 鈥淎nd he was diligent about creating a family atmosphere for his teams,鈥� Eager said of the coach, who was inducted into the 2001-02 class of the 精东影业 Sports Hall of Fame.
He was a beloved song leader at church and gospel meetings, and a longtime elder at Merkel Church of Christ. The McCoy Family Singers comprised Burl, Jan and their three children, and he and Jan were also members of a peer group that sang at more than 200 weddings.听
He was preceded in death by his parents, Hollis and Velma McCoy, and his brother, Gerald McCoy (鈥�50).
Among survivors are Jan, his wife of 65 years; sons Brad McCoy and wife Debra (鈥�83 Woodruff), and Michael McCoy (鈥�89) and wife Jan (鈥�91 Davis); daughter Amy (鈥�83 McCoy) and husband Sid Walker; eight grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.
— Ron Hadfield
March 21, 2024