Ron Hunter
Compete. Ron Hunter, two-time Mid-Continent Conference Coach of the Year, is the face of IUPUI men’s basketball.
A favorite among local and national media thanks to his lighthearted demeanor off the court, Hunter has set a new standard of excellence for the IUPUI basketball program and is widely known for his fiercely competitive nature.
He became IUPUI’s winningest first-year coach in 1994-95, and thanks to his team’s success over the last seven seasons, has raised the national exposure of both the university and the basketball program. 2008-09 marks his 16th season as head coach.
While at IUPUI, Hunter has focused on in-state talent, and 17 of his players have gone on to play professionally in the United States and overseas. But his impact extends off the court—to ensure that his players are active in the community, he arranges visits to local hospitals and elementary schools and organizes annual summer youth basketball camps. IUPUI Director of Athletics Michael Moore said, “His hard work in the community and on the court has made him one of the most recognizable individuals in Indianapolis. The result has been a major asset to both the university in general and Jaguars’ Athletics in particular.”
During IUPUI’s 2003 postseason, Hunter made national appearances on ESPN’s SportsCenter and Fox Sports The Best Damn Sports Show. He is one of seven head coaches on the Division 1 Basketball Academic Enhancement Group and was recognized by the Black Coaches’ Association with a 2003 Images in Excellence Award.
Hunter earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Miami University (Ohio) and was a standout player, averaging 9.5 points and nearly three rebounds a game as a senior. His coaching career began in 1987 at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, where he spent six seasons. He was also the top assistant coach at his alma mater for one year prior to his arrival at IUPUI. In November of 2007, he signed a three-year contract extension, keeping him at IUPUI through the 2012-13 season.
