Bill Lankford - 1990

Bill is a native of Springville, Alabama, and graduated from Springville High School in 1953.  He was a three-year starter in basketball, playing on two teams that participated in the state tournament.  He was also an all-county and all-district player for two years. 

Bill enrolled at Samford University (then Howard College) in 1953 and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1957.  He was a four-year starter on the basketball team.  He was selected as the team’s most valuable player for his last two years and was co-captain as a senior.  He held the single season and career scoring records until they were broken in recent years.  Bill served as president of the Varsity Lettermen’s Club during his senior year.  His graduate study at the University of Alabama led to the Master of Arts degree.  He has since done additional graduate work. 

Bill’s coaching career began at Ashville High School in 1957.  He served as Head Basketball and Assistant Football Coach and coached various spring sports during his nine-year high school career.  Other schools where he coached were Springville, Hewitt-Trussville and Banks.  He was chosen as the Jefferson County “Coach of the Year” in 1959-60 while at Hewitt-Trussville high.  His high school coaching record is 148 wins and 88 losses. 

Jefferson State hired Bill in 1966 as its first basketball coach.  He became Athletic Director the following year and has served in a dual capacity since that time.  His junior college coaching record of 437-239 puts him in twentieth place for wins among active NJCAA basketball coaches.  He has a combined high school and college record of 585-327 with a winning percentage of .641. 

Twelve of his Jefferson State teams have qualified for the state tournament, winning the championship three times and placing second twice.  The 1970-71 team won the Region XVII (Ala. – Ga.) Championship. The 1979-80 and 1987-88 teams won the Region XXII Championship and participated in the national tournament at Hutchison, Kansas.  The 1979-80 team finished second in the national tournament. 

Bill has been AJCCC “Coach of the Year” four times and NJCAA Regional “Coach of the Year” three times.  He has coached in four AJCCC All-Star games and was Head Coach of the winning East team in 1980 NJCAA All-Star game in Hutchison, Kansas.  Sixty-three Jefferson State players have continued their playing careers at four-year institutions. 

As Athletic Director, Bill has been involved in a strong athletic program at Jefferson State, which won the AJCCC All-Sports Trophy and finished high in the competition several times.  He has represented his college actively in the AJCCC, serving on various committees to promote athletics.   He is presently serving his third year as Athletic Director Representative and Assistant Men’s Regional Director. 

Bill is a member of the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the Alabama Basketball Coaches Association. He has participated in numerous clinics and had many speaking engagements to promote and improve basketball.  He has also been active in physical education organizations. 

Bill is married to the former Adrienne Ray, a music instructor at Jefferson State.  They have two children, Ross, 19, a sophomore at Jefferson State and Renee, 16, a junior at E.B. Erwin high School.