The Greenville College men’s basketball program has seen its varsity team rise to the top of the SLIAC standings this season with wins over three first place teams, and its most recent win against Fontbonne has vaulted head coach George Barber to the number one position among all GC head men’s basketball coaches with 211 career wins.

Barber has accumulated 211 wins in 17 seasons.  He came to Greenville College after serving stints as an assistant men’s basketball coach at Bradley University in Peoria, Ill., and administrative assistant for the men’s basketball program at the University of Kentucky.  The 1995-96 Kentucky squad won the NCAA Division I national championship.

Barber’s Panther teams have won 15 or more games in five of his 17 seasons, including a mark of 19-8 in 2003-04 that was the fourth-most wins and third-highest winning percentage in a single season.

The 1999-00 and 2000-01 teams won 16 games each season with the 2000-01 team going to the NCCAA national tournament as the North Central region champion for just the second time in school history.  The team participated in the NCCAA regional playoffs in 2000, 2001, 2004, and 2008.  The 2010 squad advanced to the SLIAC tournament.

The previous record for wins was set by legendary coach John Strahl, who accumulated a 210-156 record from 1950-65.

A ceremony recognizing Barber’s achievement will occur during pregame at the men’s basketball game on Saturday, Feb. 20.

Greenville College Head Men’s Basketball Coaches
George Barber, 211 wins, 1999-present
John Strahl, 210, 1950-65
Jack Trager, 111, 1976-88
Kent Krober, 85, 1988-94
Doug Faulkner, 78, 1994-99
Roland Fletcher, 47, 1972-76
Tom Morgan, 47, 1967-72
Homer Cunningham, 36, 1943-47
Robert Smith, 25, 1965-67
A. Hallam Crum, 21, 1947-49
Richard Brumitt, 11, 1949-50

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Photo Courtesy GC Athletics