WARRENSBURG, MO (April 6, 2002) - Former University of Missouri assistant basketball
coach and standout player Kim Anderson is the new men's head basketball coach at Central Missouri
State University. CMSU Director of Athletics Jerry Hughes introduced Anderson at a news conference
today (Apr. 6). Anderson was selected from a field of 110 applicants to become the 23rd head coach in
the 97-year history of Central Missouri State basketball. He replaces Don Doucette, who resigned after
compiling an 89-76 record in six seasons as the Mules' head coach. This will be Anderson's first head
coaching position.
"We feel like we've hit a home run with the hiring of Kim Anderson", Hughes said. "Kim is one
of the brightest basketball minds in the country and his reputation amongst his peers around Missouri
and the nation is impeccable. We at Central couldn't be happier to welcome Kim and his family into the
Central Missouri State family."
"My family and I are excited to be coming back to Missouri," Anderson said. "Central Missouri
State has a great basketball tradition and I'm looking forward to working with the players to increase that
tradition. This is an outstanding university and I'm excited about building relationships with the
administration, faculty and staff, students, and the community."
The 46-year-old Anderson has spent the past two seasons as assistant commissioner of the Big 12
Conference in Dallas, Texas. He was originally hired by the Big 12 Conference in July of 1999 as
Director of Basketball Operations. With the Big 12, his duties included organizing and directing the
men's Big 12 postseason basketball tournament, serving as the conference liaison for the men's
basketball coaches, and overseeing the men's and women's officiating programs. Prior to accepting his
position with the Big 12, Anderson served two stints as assistant basketball coach at his alma mater, the
University of Missouri. Under his college coach, the legendary Norm Stewart, he was a part of two Big
8 regular season championships (1983,1994), a Big 8 Tournament title (1993), six trips to the NCAA
Division I Tournament and an Elite Eight appearance in 1994. He served as a Tiger graduate assistant
from 1982-1985 and a full-time assistant from 1991-1999. Anderson also was an assistant coach at
Baylor University for six seasons (1985-1991) under current Pittsburg State head coach Gene Iba. The
Bears made their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 38 years in 1988. His duties at Missouri and
Baylor included recruiting, practice organization, conditioning, scouting and academic support
programs.
Anderson was a prep standout at Sedalia Smith-Cotton High School, where he was a two-time
all-state selection. Anderson went on to enjoy tremendous success at the University of Missouri, where
he played from 1973-1977. He was a junior forward on Norm Stewart's first Big 8 Conference
championship team in 1976, then led the league in scoring and was Big 8 Player of the Year in 1977.
He was named to the Academic All-Big 8 team in 1975 and 1977, and won Missouri's George Edwards
Award for basketball excellence, academic ability, citizenship and character three times. He scored
1,289 points in his career to rank among Missouri's top-20 all-time scorers. After his college career,
Anderson was a second round selection of the Portland Trailblazers in the 1977 NBA Draft. He played
for the Trailblazers during the 1978-1979 season and also played professionally in Italy and France for a
total of three seasons.
Kim Anderson Named Mules' Basketball Coach - page 2
Anderson has been inducted into the University of Missouri Athletic Department Hall of Fame,
the University of Missouri Basketball Hall of Fame, and the Missouri Basketball Hall of Fame (which
now is the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in Springfield). Sedalia Smith-Cotton also retired his high
school jersey.
Anderson received his bachelor's and master's degrees in education from the University of
Missouri in 1979 and 1981, respectively. He and his wife of 24 years, Melissa, a native of Lee's
Summit, have two sons, Ryan, age 12, and Brett, age 10. His sister, Kathy, was a standout basketball
player for Central Missouri State's women's basketball team from 1976 to 1980 and was an inaugural
inductee into Central Missouri State's Athletic Hall of Fame. His father, Keith, graduated from Central
Missouri in 1954. Anderson will officially begin his new duties at Central Missouri on April 15.
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