Murray Greason

Teams coached: Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Wake Forest record: 285-243 (.540)
Overall record: 285-243 (.540)

1933-1957

Murray Crossley Greason
Born December 26, 1901
Died January 1, 1960
Hometown: Raleigh, North Carolina
Alma Mater: Wake Forest University (BS, 1926)
Growing up just blocks from campus, Greason was a football, baseball and basketball star at Wake Forest
- Played basketball under head coaches Phil Utley, Hank Garrity and R.S. Hayes
Started his career coaching basketball, baseball and football at Lexington HS (NC) in 1926, working there for seven years
Originally returned to Wake in 1933 to be an assistant football coach, but was soon named head basketball coach
- Coached the Demon Deacons for 23 seasons (not including the 1943-44 season, skipped due to WWII)
- Went 285-243 during his tenure, including years in both the Southern Conference (SoCon) and ACC
  - Won the SoCon regular season title in 1939 and the SoCon Tournament in 1953
    - Led the Deacons to the first ever NCAA Tournament (1939) and returned in 1953
- Stepped down from coaching in 1957 as the program’s all-time winningest head coach
- Served as an assistant football coach from 1933-1940 and head baseball coach from 1940-47
  - Also acted as assistant athletic director for the University
Passed away on New Year’s Day 1960 in a car crash in Greensboro, NC; he had just turned 58 the week prior
One of four inductees from the inaugural 1970 class into the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame
- Was also inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame (c/o 1967)