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Former Western Illinois head coach Jim Kerwin passes away

Former Western Illinois head men’s basketball coach Jim Kerwin passed away last week, the school announced on Tuesday. Kerwin was 81.

The New Jersey-native coached the Leathernecks from 1992-2003 and his 134 wins are the fourth-most in program history. He led WIU to its second-ever 20-win season at the D1 level in 1994-95 and four years later was named MCC (now Summit League) Coach of the Year.

Prior to his arrival in Macomb, Kerwin was an assistant under Dana Altman at Kansas State and Billy Tubbs at Oklahoma. He played at Tulane, where he was a three-year starter and was All-SEC as a junior in 1962.

Kerwin is survived by his wife (Gayle), daughter (Kari), son (Kyle), three grandchildren, two sisters, and younger brother.

 

credit to Western Illinois Athletics for the image