Ernie Kent (2022) - Hall of Fame - University of Oregon Athletics

Ernie Kent

Induction:
2022
Class:
1977

In his 13 years as the head men’s basketball coach at Oregon, Ernie Kent became the winningest coach in program history at the time with a 235-174 record. During his tenure, Kent led Oregon to five NCAA Tournaments, including a pair of Elite Eight appearances, a Pac-10 regular-season title and two Pac-10 tournament crowns. Hired prior to the 1997-98 season, Kent became the first Black head coach at the University. His early teams saw success by reaching both the NIT Final Four (1999) and the NCAA Tournament (2000). That set the stage for the Ducks’ most successful season since the Tall Firs won the national title in 1939. Led by future first-round NBA Draft picks Fred Jones, Luke Ridnour and Luke Jackson, the Ducks won the Pac-10 title by sweeping UCLA and USC during the final weekend of the regular season, Oregon’s first outright league championship in 63 years. The Ducks advanced to the NCAA Midwest Regional Final that season against Kansas, and would repeat that feat five years later in 2007. That squad was led by future NBA Draft choices Aaron Brooks, Malik Hairston and Maarty Leunen and gave eventual NCAA Champion Florida its closest game of the Tournament. The Ducks won their first Pac-10 Tournament title in 2003 and were champions again in 2007. The Rockford, Ill., native became the first Oregon coach to lead the Ducks to five NCAA Tournaments (2000, 2002-03, 2007-08). Seven Ducks were selected in the NBA Draft under Kent, while six players earned all-conference honors and Ridnour was the 2003 Pac-10 Player of the Year. The 1977 graduate of Oregon with a degree in community service and public affairs averaged 7.1 points and 1.8 rebounds during his four-year basketball career with the Ducks (1974-77) during the “Kamikaze Kids” era. The 2002 Pac-10 Coach of the Year is also renowned for the academic success of his student-athletes. Under Kent’s direction, the Duck men’s basketball team ranked No. 1 amongst Pac-10 schools in the NCAA’s Academic Progress Rate. His 2008 NCAA Tournament team featured five student-athletes who had already earned their degrees.