Courageous Black head coaches at the University of Mississippi in the past have paved the way for the coaches of today and the future.
Ken Gibson was not only the first Black coach at Ole Miss but also the first coach for the women’s track and field program at the university in 1985. Gibson passed away in 2022 at the age of 88. However, his legacy lives on through every Black coach that has followed in his footsteps.
Gibson also oversaw men’s track and field and the cross country programs. During his three-year tenure at the university, Gibson’s teams won an NCAA team title along with five individual national championships.