Don Haskins, credited with helping break color barriers in college sports in 1966 when he used five black starters to win a national basketball title for Texas Western, died Sunday. He was 78.
Texas-El Paso spokesman Jeff Darby said the Hall of Fame coach died Sunday afternoon. He had no other details. UTEP previously was known as Texas Western.
"The word unique does not begin to describe Don Haskins," former Texas Tech coach Bob Knight said. "There is no one who has ever coached that I respected and admired more than Don Haskins. I've had no better friend that I enjoyed more than Don Haskins."
Haskins was an old-time coach who believed in hard work and was known for his gruff demeanor. That attitude was portrayed in the 2006 movie "Glory Road," the Disney film that chronicled Haskins' improbable rise to national fame in the 1966 championship game against Kentucky. The movie, which was preceded by a book of the same title, also sparked renewed interest in Haskins' career.
During his career, Haskins turned down several more lucrative offers, including one with the now-defunct American Basketball Association, to remain at UTEP as one of the lowest paid coaches in the Western Athletic Conference.
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Haskins retired in 1999 after 38 seasons at the school. He had a 719-353 record and won seven WAC championships. He took UTEP to 14 NCAA tournaments and to the NIT seven times.
As a coach, Haskins became a star early in his career by leading his Miners to the 1966 NCAA championship game, then making the controversial decision to start five blacks against all-white, heavily favored Kentucky, coached by Adolph Rupp. The Miners won, and shortly after that many schools began recruiting black players.
Haskins said he wasn't trying to make a social statement with his lineup; he was simply starting his best players. The move, however, raised the ire of some who sent Haskins hate mail and even death threats during the racially charged era.
BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Olympic beach volleyball gold medalists Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh lost for the second time since the Beijing Games on Sunday and missed their first AVP Crocs Tour final since April 2007. In the biggest upset in women's volleyball this season, No. 3 seeds Jen Boss and April Ross beat the top-seeded team of Walsh and May-Treanor 21-18, 15-21, 20-18 in a semifinal match of the AVP Crocs Cup Shootout in Santa Barbara, Calif.
Volleyball: Minnesota Duluth junior middle blocker Sarah Wyffels and senior middle blocker Lindsay Clairmont were named to the All-Tournament team at the Colorado Springs Tournament this past weekend.
* Cloquet senior setter Taylor Sautbine had 959 career set assists and reached the 1,000 mark by getting 48 at the Coon Rapids (Minn.) Invitational this past weekend.
