Harlan Hodges is an American basketball coach who was the head men's basketball coach at Murray State

Murray State Racers

Murray State University features 15 varsity sports teams. Both men's and women's teams are called the Racers, with the exception of the baseball team which is known as the Thoroughbreds. They participate in the NCAA's Division I, in the Ohio Valley Conference. Football competes the Football...

 and Idaho

Idaho Vandals

The Idaho Vandals are the intercollegiate athletic teams of the University of Idaho. They participate in NCAA Division I - FBS in the Western Athletic Conference ....

.

Early career

Hodges' coaching career began at West Frankfort High School in West Frankfort, Illinois

West Frankfort, Illinois

West Frankfort is a city in Franklin County, Illinois, USA. The population was 8,182 at the 2010 census. The city is part of the Metro Lakeland area.-History:...

. In his 12 seasons at WFHS, Hodges' Redbirds won their regional tournament three times, their sectional tournament twice, and made it to the state championship four times. He spent one season as the head basketball and track coach at the Missouri School of Mines

Missouri University of Science and Technology

Missouri University of Science and Technology is an institution of higher learning located in Rolla, Missouri, United States, and part of the University of Missouri System...

 before returning to his alma mater, Southern Illinois

Southern Illinois University Carbondale

Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a public research university located in Carbondale, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1869, SIUC is the flagship campus of the Southern Illinois University system...

 as an assistant basketball and football coach.

Murray State

Hodges coached the Murray State Racers from 1948-54. His 1950-51 and 1951-52 teams finished the year ranked No. 16 in the years' end AP poll

AP Poll

The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...

. His teams twice made the NAIA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament and was runner up in 1952

1952 NAIA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament

The 1952 NAIA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 15th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format....

. Two of Hodges' players at Murray State, Bennie Purcell

Bennie Purcell

Bennie Purcell is a Hall of Fame basketball player who became a Hall of Fame tennis coach at Murray State University, coaching the Racers for 28 years...

 and Garrett Beshear, received All-American honors. His overall record at Murray State is 109-66.

Idaho

From 1954-59, Hodges was the head coach of the Idaho Vandals. In his five seasons in Moscow

Moscow, Idaho

Moscow is a city in northern Idaho, situated along the Washington/Idaho border. It is the most populous city and county seat of Latah County and the home of the University of Idaho, the land grant institution and primary research university for the state...

, Hodges had a 52-77 record and no tournament appearances. He resigned as head coach on April 30, 1959 to become a high school superintendent in Anna, Illinois

Anna, Illinois

Anna is a city in Union County, Illinois, United States. Located in Southern Illinois, the population was 5,136 at the 2000 census. The city is known for being tied to its close neighbor Jonesboro, together known as Anna-Jonesboro. Anna is well renowned for the Anna State Mental Hospital or the...

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