Bill Gibson

Bill Gibson (1927-1975)

Teams coached: Mansfield Mountaineers, Virginia Cavaliers, South Florida Bulls
Mansfield record^: 104-37 (.738)
Virginia record: 120-158 (.432)
South Florida record: 15-10 (.600)
Overall record^: 239-205 (.538)

Career Accomplishments:

  • NCAA National Championships:  0
  • NCAA Tournament Appearances:  0
  • NIT Championships:  0
  • NIT Appearances:  1  (1972)
  • PSAC (NAIA) Regular Season Champion:  3  (1961, 1962, 1963)

Awards:

Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):

1974-1975 South Florida
1963-1974 Virginia
1956-1963 Mansfield

Bill Gibson Facts

  • William John Gibson
  • Born December 18, 1927
  • Died July 23, 1975
  • Hometown: Donora, Pennsylvania
  • Alma Mater: Pennsylvania State University (BA, 1952)
  • Played basketball at Penn State under head coaches John Lawther and Elmer Gross
  • Started his career at the high school level and after four years moved up to the college ranks
    • Went 104-37 in seven seasons at the helm at then-NAIA Mansfield University (PA)
    • Over the last three years there, Gibson’s teams went 57-3 and won three straight PSAC East titles
  • Hired in 1963 to take over as the head coach at Virginia, then struggling to compete in the ACC
    • Was 120-158 overall in eleven seasons at the helm, building the program up into an ACC contender
    • Won ACC COY honors in 1972 after leading the Cavaliers to the NIT; ranked as high as #6 in the AP that year
  • Left UVA for South Florida in 1974; suffered a heart attack in July 1974 but still coached the season
    • Went 15-10 that year, the final season of his career and only season at USF
  • Suffered a second heart attack in July 1975 that resulted in his death at age 47
    • Survived by his wife, Pat, and their daughter, Jane

Bill Gibson Coaching Tree

  • Chip Conner (South Florida)
  • Dick DiBiaso (Stanford)
  • Barry Parkhill (Saint Michael’s, William & Mary)
  • Bruce Parkhill (Penn State, William & Mary)
  • Mike Schuler (Los Angeles Clippers, Portland Trail Blazers, Rice)
  • Terry Truax (Towson)

 

^ overall record includes head coaching positions at the NCAA Division I and NAIA levels