RON RIGHTER - Head Coach

Ron Righter begins his 17th season at Clarion. A bright, highly motivated, always positive and effervescent coach, Ron is Clarion's all-time winningest coach with 267 career wins.

Tippin Gym has roared with excitement during Righter's reign. A 16-year record of 267-163 (62%), he averaged 20 wins a seasons from (1997-2001). The 2001 team qualified for the NCAA Playoffs, along with winning Clarion's first PSAC title. The Eagles also won PSAC-West titles in 2000 and 1997. Clarion was 19-10 in 2003 and 2001, 20-7 in 2000, 19-8 in 1999, 20-7 in 1998 and 22-7 in 1997. He was named PSAC-West "Coach of the Year" in 1997.

Other top seasons include a 19-8 mark in 1992, 17-9 in 1993, 16-10 1991 and 16-12 in 2004. Great players during his tenure include Kwame Morton (1992-95), the NCAA' s leading scorer in 1995 averaging 32.5ppg, and the PSAC's career leading scorer with 2,543 points. Oronn Brown (1993-97) held the D-II record for career steals with 361, and the list goes on.

Also the head coach at Wilkes for two seasons (80 & 81) where he was 24-24. His 18-year collegiate record is 291-187.

52, Righter was the First Assistant under George Raveling for 7 years at Washington State (1981-83), Iowa (1983-86) and Southern Cal (USC) 1986-88. Ron came to Clarion from USC, where he was the Associate Head Coach for two seasons.

A native of Doylestown, Pa., and Central Bucks West High School, Righter graduated from CBW in 1970 and accepted a basketball scholarship to Duke. After two years at Duke, he transferred to St. Joe's in Philadelphia and played his final two seasons (1973-75). His junior year he averaged 13ppg, then posted 17.8ppg his senior year as the team's captain and MVP. A 1975 St. Joe's grad in Humanities and Theology, he received his Master's from Lehigh in Counseling Education in 1979.

Righter started his coaching experience at Lafayette (1977-78) under Tom Davis (former Iowa coach), was an assistant at Lehigh (1978-79) and the head coach at Wilkes College. He left Wilkes to join Raveling at Washington State. Raveling's first assistant, Righter helped get the Cougars to the NCAA Div.I Playoffs in 1983. Righter then went with Raveling to Iowa as first assistant and recruiting coordinator and saw the Hawkeyes post a 54-38 record in three seasons, plus make 2 NCAA Div.I Playoff appearances. As Recruiting Coordinator, Righter posted three straight top 20 recruiting classes. He helped Raveling rebuild at USC for two years before coming to Clarion.

Righter's basketball philosophy? "We like to play an up-tempo style for 40-minutes, using eight to ten men throughout the game. We're a smart, scrappy, hustling type of team that never quits no matter what the score. That's what people can expect when they come to see us play."

Righter has olympic and international experience. In the Summer of 1988, Righter was one of eight assistants helping U.S. Olympic Coach John Thompson and Raveling narrow the 1988 U.S. Olympic team at Colorado Springs, Colorado. Then he coached in Yugoslavia for two and one-half weeks, running the I.B.A. clinic series that included players throughout Europe. In the Summer of 1994 he was selected by USA Basketball as an assistant coach at the U.S. Olympic Sports Festival. He also played and coached in Luxembourg in 1976 and has authored three basketball videos marketed internationally.

Inducted into the St. Joe's basketball "Hall of Fame" in the Summer of 1991, Ron, wife Juliet, son Matthew and daughter Emily reside in Shippenville, Pa.

2004     16-12     57.1     6-6     50.0     4th     *

2003     19-10     65.5     7-5     58.3     3rd     *

2002     15-11     57.7     7-5     58.3     4^th     *

2001     19-10     65.5     7-5     58.3     3^rd     1st

2000     20-7     74.1     10-2     83.3     1^st     *

1999     19-8     70.4     7-5     58.3     3^rd     *

1998     20-7     74.1     8-4     66.7     3^rd     *

1997     22-7     75.9     9-3     75.0     1^st     2^nd

1996     12-13     48.0     4-8     33.3     5^th     -

1995     11-15     42.3     4-8     33.3     5^th     -

1994     15-11     57.7     4-8     33.3     5^th     -

1993     17-9     65.4     5-7     41.7     4^th     -

1992     19-8     70.4     5-7     41.7     4^th     -

1991     16-10     61.5     5-7     41.7     5^th     -

1990     13-13     50.0     2-10     16.7     6^th     -

1989     14-12     53.8     4-8     33.3     6^th     -

1980 Wilkes 10-13 43.5

1981 Wilkes 14-11 56.0

2-YEARS Wilkes 24-24 50%