Mel Thompson (basketball)

Melvin Thompson (October 5, 1932 – February 5, 2009) was an American college basketball player and coach. He was the head coach at The Citadel from 1960 to 1967.

Mel Thompson
Biographical details
Born(1932-10-05)October 5, 1932
Richmond, Indiana
DiedFebruary 5, 2009(2009-02-05) (aged 76)
Indianapolis, Indiana
Playing career
1951–1954NC State
Position(s)Center
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1959–1960The Citadel (assistant)
1960–1967The Citadel
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
First-team All-ACC (1954)

Born and raised in Richmond, Indiana, Thompson played college basketball for Everett Case at North Carolina State University. Following a semi-pro playing career, he was named an assistant coach at The Citadel in 1959,[1] then assumed head coaching duties when Norm Sloan left for the University of Florida coaching job. In his seven seasons as head coach of the Bulldogs, Thompson compiled a record of 67–96. He was fired after an 8-17 season that would become the subject of author Pat Conroy's 2002 memoir My Losing Season, in which Conroy described Thompson as a mentally and emotionally abusive coach.[2][3]

Thompson was named to the 1975 'Silver Anniversary Team' by the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in recognition of his basketball career.[4] He died on February 5, 2009.[5]

Head coaching record
Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
The Citadel Bulldogs (Southern Conference) (1960–1967)
1960–61 The Citadel 17–810–43rd
1961–62 The Citadel 8–154–87th
1962–63 The Citadel 3–202–109th
1963–64 The Citadel 11–104–88th
1964–65 The Citadel 13–118–43rd
1965–66 The Citadel 7–164–98th
1966–67 The Citadel 8–176–75th
The Citadel: 67–98 (.406)38–50 (.432)
Total:67–98 (.406)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References
  1. "Citadel hires Mel Thompson". Chula Vista Star News. June 7, 1959. p. 25. Retrieved April 5, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. Gillespie, Bob (March 13, 2016). "Teammates revisit Pat Conroy's 'Losing Season' at The Citadel". The State. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  3. McGrath, Charles (March 2, 2009). "Reconciliation at the Citadel, Through Basketball". New York Times. Retrieved January 5, 2016.
  4. "Silver Anniversary Teams | Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame". www.hoopshall.com. Archived from the original on 2011-09-30.
  5. Hartsell, Jeff (February 10, 2009). "Former Citadel Coach Dies". The Post and Courier. Retrieved January 5, 2016.


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