Ron Hunter facts for kids
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| Current position | |
|---|---|
| Title | Head coach |
| Team | Tulane |
| Conference | The American |
| Record | 89–89 (.500) |
| Biographical details | |
| Born | April 7, 1964 Dayton, Ohio, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1982–1986 | Miami (OH) |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1987–1993 | Milwaukee (assistant) |
| 1993–1994 | Miami (OH) (assistant) |
| 1994–2011 | IUPUI |
| 2011–2019 | Georgia State |
| 2019–present | Tulane |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 534–403 (.570) |
| Tournaments | 1–4 (NCAA Division I) 0–1 (NIT) 1–1 (CBI) 1–2(CIT) 0–1 (CBC) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| Summit League tournament (2003) Summit League regular season (2006) 3 Sun Belt tournament (2015, 2018, 2019) 3 Sun Belt regular season (2014, 2015, 2019) |
|
| Awards | |
| 2× Summit League Coach of the Year (2003, 2006) Sun Belt Coach of the Year (2014) |
|
Ronald Eugene Hunter (born April 7, 1964) is an American college basketball coach. He is currently the head coach for the Tulane University Green Wave men's basketball team. His son, R. J. Hunter, was chosen by the Boston Celtics in the first round of the NBA draft.
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Early Life and High School
Ron Hunter grew up in Dayton, Ohio. He played basketball for Chaminade Julienne High School from 1978 to 1982.
Coaching Career Highlights
Coaching at IUPUI
From 1994 to 2011, Ron Hunter was the head coach at IUPUI. He helped the team move from a smaller league (NAIA) to a major college league (NCAA Division I). In 2003, he led IUPUI to its first-ever appearance in the NCAA tournament.
Barefoot Game for Charity
On January 24, 2008, Coach Hunter did something special. He coached a game against Oakland University without shoes! He did this to support Samaritan's Feet. This group helps children around the world who are in need by giving them new shoes. Coach Hunter hoped to collect 40,000 pairs of shoes. But before the game even started, over 110,000 pairs were donated!
Coaching at Georgia State
On March 21, 2011, Ron Hunter became the head coach for the Georgia State Panthers. In his first year, Georgia State won 22 games, which was one of the best seasons in the school's history.
Famous NCAA Tournament Moment
Coach Hunter became very well-known during the 2015 NCAA tournament. He had torn his Achilles tendon (a leg injury) while celebrating his team's championship win. Because of this, he had to coach games sitting on a rolling stool.
In a big game against Baylor, his son R. J. Hunter made an amazing game-winning three-point shot with only seconds left! As the shot went in, Coach Hunter was so excited that his stool slipped out from under him, and he fell to the floor. He was still cheering and celebrating even as he tumbled! This moment was shown everywhere on TV and became a famous highlight of the tournament.
On November 20, 2017, Ron Hunter earned his 400th career win in a game against Eastern Washington. He helped make Georgia State's basketball program much stronger and more successful. Some of his notable wins at Georgia State include games against VCU (2011), #16 Baylor (2015), Georgia (2018), and Alabama (2018).
Coaching at Tulane
On March 24, 2019, Ron Hunter was named the new head coach for the Tulane Green Wave. He continues to lead their team today.
Coach Ron Hunter's Records
Here's a summary of Ron Hunter's coaching record:
- IUPUI: 274 wins and 219 losses
- Georgia State: 171 wins and 95 losses
- Tulane: 89 wins and 89 losses (as of July 2025)
Overall, Coach Hunter has a total of 534 wins and 403 losses in his career.
Personal Life
Ron Hunter is married to Amy, and they have two children: Jasmine and Ronald, who is known as R. J..
