PINE BLUFF, AR – The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff named former UAPB assistant coach George Ivory as the Golden Lions' new men's basketball coach Thursday morning at Golden Lion Stadium.
Ivory, 42, returns to the Arkansas-Pine Bluff campus after serving as an assistant at MississippiValleyState and GramblingState for the past two seasons.
“I'd like to thank God first,” Ivory said to a room full of excited UAPB basketball fans. “I'd also like to thank Athletic Director Skip Perkins and Chancellor (Dr. Lawrence) Davis for having the faith in me to give me this outstanding opportunity.
“I'm excited about this opportunity and I look forward to getting started working towards winning championships at UAPB.”
Ivory, who was an All-American basketball player at MississippiValleyState during the late 80's, replaces former Golden Lions' coach and former boss Van Holt. Holt resigned earlier this month after posting a 50-124 overall record over six years.
“We were looking for someone with knowledge of the Southwestern Athletic Conference,” Perkins said. “Coach Ivory has been in this league his entire adult life and he knows exactly what it takes to play, coach, recruit and win in the SWAC.
“We had dozens of qualified candidates apply for our basketball opening, but when it all came down to it, George Ivory was the best man for the job.”
Ivory was the 1984 SWAC Freshman of the Year at MVSU and would later be named the 1987 SWAC Player of the Year. He was a two-time Black College All-American and was inducted into the 2006 Class of the Mississippi Valley State Sports Hall of Fame.
For more information, contact Tim Munn, UAPB Sports Information Director at (870) 575-7174 or (870) 718-3321.
