Former WKU Basketball Coach Jim Richards Died at 90

The legendary coach and athletics director led Glasgow High School to a 1968 state title and WKU to multiple OVC championships.

Updated on Oct. 10, 2026 in Basketball

Former WKU Basketball Coach Jim Richards Died at 90

Jim Richards, who guided the Glasgow High School basketball team to a state championship and served as the head men's basketball coach at Western Kentucky University, has died at age 90. He spent decades at the university, ultimately serving as its athletics director during the 1990s.

Why it matters

Richards left a significant imprint on Kentucky basketball history through his success at both the high school and collegiate levels. His leadership at Western Kentucky University helped define the program's competitive identity during his tenure as coach and administrator.

Richards compiled a 102-84 record as WKU head coach, including Ohio Valley Conference regular-season titles in 1972 and 1976. His teams also secured OVC tournament championships in both 1976 and 1978.

The players

Jim Richards

He was a distinguished basketball coach and athletics administrator who spent a significant portion of his career at Western Kentucky University.

Glasgow High School

This is the Kentucky high school institution where Richards coached the basketball team to a state championship title in 1968.

Western Kentucky University

Commonly known as WKU, this university served as the primary institution where Richards coached basketball and later functioned as the athletics director.

The details

Beyond his coaching career, Richards served as the coordinator of men's athletics and the men's golf coach until 1986. He later returned to lead the WKU athletics department as interim director in September 1993 and received a permanent appointment in July 1994 before retiring that November.

In 1968, Richards coached Glasgow High School to a Kentucky state basketball championship.
Richards led the WKU men's basketball team from 1971 through 1978.
He became the interim athletics director at WKU in September 1993.
He was appointed as the permanent athletics director at WKU in July 1994.
Jim Richards passed away on October 9, 2026, at age 90.

Season Trajectory

Richards' career is forever linked to the 1968 Kentucky state basketball championship, a benchmark event in regional sports history. His passing recalls an era where successful high school coaches often became foundational figures for state collegiate programs.

The WKU men's basketball program maintains a record of his 102-84 head coaching tenure as a cornerstone of its historical competitive standing. Supporters and alumni recognize his legacy through the multiple Ohio Valley Conference titles he secured during the 1970s.

The takeaway

Richards demonstrated that long-term success in collegiate athletics often relies on deep local roots developed at the high school level. His career highlights the importance of transitioning from successful coaching roles into broader departmental leadership positions.