Holley, who has been coaching at Jewell since 1979, was inducted into the Missouri Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame.
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When Larry Holley was an aspiring basketball player at William Jewell College in the 1960’s, his mentor was Jim Nelson, a respected coach whose success in college basketball eventually led him into the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Sports history came full circle this summer for Holley when he received the same statewide recognition.
Holley, who has been coaching at Jewell since 1979, was inducted into the Missouri Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame in a ceremony held in Springfield on July 14. Earlier this year, Holley was also chosen to enter the Greater Kansas City Basketball Coaches Association. This most recent award is added to 12 Coach of the Year awards, including the Sears/NABC Award in 1996, as the NAIA National Coach of the Year.
Holley has led William Jewell basketball teams to post season play 15 times and traveled to the NAIA National Tournament 7 times. With 560 wins in 29 years, Holley is ranked #3 with all NAIA Divsion II coaches. His contributions have resulted in the Jewell basketball program, with 1,278 victories, earning a rank of #1 in all-time total wins for NAIA II schools.
Coach Holley graduated from Jameson High School in 1963. As a 1967 graduate of William Jewell, he lettered in 3 sports each of his 4 years. He has coached 9 NAIA All-Americans and six Academic All- Americans, as well as a National Player of the Year, Brook Russell, in 1996. His coaching career has also included positions at Harrisburg High School, Central Methodist College and Northwest Missouri State University. Holley also serves as an assistant professor of physical education at William Jewell.