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Mizzou names Kim Anderson men's basketball coach

University of Central Missouri

For the first time since Norm Stewart, a former player will lead the Missouri men’s basketball program.

On Monday, the University of Missouri announced that Kim Anderson, 58, will replace Frank Haith, who left for Tulsa last Friday. Anderson arrives in Columbia after winning the 2014 NCAA D-II National Championship at Central Missouri in Warrensburg, Mo. Anderson lead the Mules to 274 wins, five conference titles and two NCAA Final Fours since taking over the program in 2002.

“We are pleased and excited to have Kim Anderson leading our program,” Alden said. “He’s a man of great character, integrity and respect.  He has demonstrated the ability to mentor young men on and off the court, academically and socially.  He’s a proven winner on all levels, and he’s built tremendous relationships around the country in the basketball community, which assists greatly with recruiting and other important aspects for a program. Lastly, the fact that he’s a Missouri Tiger at heart is important, he is committed to Mizzou and has a passion to build a program of which all Tiger fans will be proud.”

Anderson was a former standout player and assistant coach under Stewart. In 1976, Anderson helped capture Missouri’s first Big Eight title and was named the Big Eight Player of the Year the following season after recording 18.3 points and 7.9 rebounds. After playing professionally overseas and in the NBA, Anderson returned to Missouri’s bench as an assistant coach on Stewart’s staff for two separate stints from 1982-1985 and 1991-1999. During his time as an assistant coach, the Tigers made six NCAA Tournaments including an Elite Eight appearance in the 1993-1994 season. Anderson took his first head-coaching job at UCM in 2002.

“I’m honored and humbled to have the opportunity to return to Mizzou and lead a program that our family is so vested in,” Anderson said in a statement released Monday afternoon. One of Anderson’s two sons, Brett, will graduate from Missouri next month.

“When we took over in Warrensburg 12 years ago, we faced an uphill battle. We had support, we had a winning history and great campus leadership, but the program had lost its identity. I see that same opportunity here at Missouri. We have great leadership with Dr. (R. Bowen) Loftin and Mike Alden, and I know we have a passionate fan base. We have a lot of work ahead of us and that work starts today, but as a Missourian I embrace this challenge and look forward to bringing championship basketball back to Norm Stewart Court and Mizzou Arena.”

Anderson was inducted into the University of Missouri Athletics Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in Springfield in 2005 as a player, and in 2012 as a coach. In 2006, he was named to Missouri’s all-century team in a fan vote.

Anderson will be officially introduced as head coach in the Reynolds Alumni Center at 10 am on Tuesday morning. Details of his contract will also be released on Tuesday.

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