Ron Holmes
Athletic Director Head Men's Basketball Coach

Holmes is entering his 19th season as McMurry’s men’s basketball coach.  He has compiled a 311-167 record while at McMurry, which is the highest winning percentage of any McMurry men’s basketball coach with a .650 clip.  He has led McMurry to five conference championships and has at least a share in six ASC West Division titles. 

McMurry men’s basketball has nine 20-win seasons in its history and coach Holmes has been the coach for six of them.  Holmes’ teams reached the NCAA Division III Elite Eight in 1999-2000 and Sweet Sixteen in 2000-2001.  Those squads earned a combined record of 51-6 and only lost one regular-season ASC matchup in those two seasons.  Also, the Holmes guided 1994 McMurry basketball squad went 21-8 and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen round of the NAIA National Tournament.  Furthermore, Holmes has coached six all-Americans while at McMurry:  Eric Burness, Alex Denson, Daniel Martinez, Brian Tudman, Tyerone Washington and Danny Wisniewski.

Holmes is a member of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) as well as the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches (TABC).  Holmes is also a lead clinician at the Snow Valley Basketball School and the Texas Prep Basketball School.  Holmes has also coached USA college traveling teams in Italy, Croatia, France and Argentina.

Before taking over as McMurry’s head coach in 1990, Holmes compiled a 169-67 high school coaching record.  He posted a 33-19 record at Clarendon High School and then went on to an impressive 136-48 record at Brownfield High School.  Holmes coached Brownfield’s 1989 squad that went 31-4 and reached the Final Four of the 3A state tournament. 

Holmes, a native of Van Horn, Texas, received a Bachelor of Science degree from McMurry in 1977 where he also played four years of basketball under the direction of legendary McMurry basketball coach and NAIA Hall of Fame member Hershel Kimbrell.  Holmes also earned a master’s of education degree from Abilene Christian University in 1984. 

Holmes played high school basketball for coach John Curry, a 1967 graduate of McMurry who played basketball for coach Kimbrell, at Van Horn High School.  Holmes was a member of the 1971 Van Horn state championship basketball team. 

On top of his coaching duties at McMurry, Holmes also serves as the Executive Director for Regional and Special Projects in McMurry’s Office of Institutional Advancement.  

Holmes is active in the Abilene community where he serves as the chair of the Young Life parents’ committee.  He and his wife, Leta, a real-estate agent in Abilene, have two daughters; Linsey, a current student at McMurry; and Rachael, a senior at Abilene High School.  

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