Back to the Kentucky Wildcats Newsfeed

Basketball icon and UK great C.M. Newton dies at age 88

C.M. Newton impacted sports by his integration of the basketball teams he coached. Mary Ann Gerth, Louisville Courier Journal

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Legendary former University of Kentucky athletic director C.M. Newton died Monday at the age of 88.

A UK spokesman confirmed the news.

A member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Newton left a major impact across college sports as a player, coach and administrator. The Rockwood, Tennessee native integrated the basketball programs as coach at Transylvania University and the University of Alabama and while athletic director at Kentucky, Newton hired Tubby Smith, the first African-American basketball coach in program history.