Ronnie Arrow

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Ronnie Arrow
Biographical details
Born (1947-08-28) August 28, 1947 (age 77)
Houston, Texas, U.S.
Playing career
1966–1969 Southwest Texas State
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1969–1972 Sam Houston State (asst.)
1972–1976 Pasadena HS (TX)
1977–1987 San Jacinto CC
1987–1994 South Alabama
1999–2007 Texas A&M–Corpus Christi
2007–2012South Alabama
Head coaching record
Overall647–295 (.687) (college)
Tournaments1–4 (NCAA Division I)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
3 NJCAA tournament (1983, 1984, 1986)
10 TJCAC regular season (1978–1987)
3 Sun Belt regular season (1989, 1991, 2008)
2 Sun Belt tournament (1989, 1991)
Southland regular season (2007)
Southland tournament (2007)
Awards
2x NJCAA Coach of the Year (1983, 1986)
3× Sun Belt Coach of the Year (1989, 1991, 2008)
Southland Coach of the Year (2007)
NJCAA Hall of Fame (1990)

Ronnie Lee Arrow (born August 28, 1947) is an American former college basketball coach [1] who was most recently the head coach at the University of South Alabama. [2]

Contents

Playing career

Arrow was a two-year All-Lone Star Conference honoree and a three-year letterman at Southwest Texas State (presently named Texas State). He graduated with a bachelor's degree in health and physical education in 1969. [2]

Coaching career

San Jacinto

Arrow served as head coach at San Jacinto College in Pasadena, Texas from 1977 to 1987 where he tallied a record of 302–43 [1] and guided the Ravens to 10 Texas Junior College Athletic Conference titles as well as NJCAA championships in 1983, 1984 and 1986. He was named the NJCAA Region XIV Coach-of-the-Year in 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987 and the national Coach-of-the-Year in 1983 and 1986. His 1985–86 squad led the nation in scoring, averaging 101 points per game. [2]

South Alabama

Arrow was named head coach of the Jaguars on July 1, 1987 and in his seven seasons as the Jaguars coach, Arrow compiled a record of 114–93. [3]

Arrow was named Sun Belt Coach of the Year in 1989 after guiding the Jaguars to both the regular and post-season tournament SunBelt titles. [4]

South Alabama finished with a 23–9 mark, a first round NCAA Tournament victory over cross-state rival Alabama before falling 91–82 to the eventual national champion Michigan in the second round. The Jags finished the season ranked 24th in the country.

Following the 1990–1991 season, Arrow was named the Sun Belt Conference Coach-of-the-Year for the second time after engineering the most dramatic turnaround in league history. That year, his Jaguars became the first SunBelt squad ever to leap from last to first place in a single season. Projected to finish fifth in the conference, South Alabama went on to capture the league crown with an 11–3 mark.

The Jags finished the season with a 22–9 record, swept through the Sun Belt Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Tournament before falling to Utah in the first-round.

Over the years, Arrow developed a reputation in the collegiate basketball circles for up-tempo, high-scoring teams. His squads led the Sun Belt Conference in scoring four of his seven seasons at South Alabama. [2] His 1988–89 squad set a school and league record 91 points per game average and five of his seven teams tallied at least 80 points per game. [2]

Arrow was dismissed by then university president Frederick Whiddon in the fall of 1994 after beginning that season 1–3 and suffering losses in his final two games by 68 and 46 points. [5]

Junior World Cup Team

In the summer of 1989, Arrow coached the United States Junior World Cup Team to a perfect 7–0 record and the gold medal at the Pan-American Basketball Confederation (COPABA) Junior World Championship in Uruguay. [6]

Among his players were future NBA stars Grant Hill, Calbert Cheaney and Allan Houston. [2]

Texas A&M–Corpus Christi

Arrow is the first basketball coach at TAMCC and started the program as a Division I school after it had gone 25 years without a basketball program. [7] He got the job thanks to a recommendation from Tim Floyd. [7]

Arrow began the Islanders program in July 1998. Arrow guided A&M–Corpus Christi to an impressive 13–13 mark in year one of the project. The Islanders, winners of five-consecutive games to close the season, turned some heads early with their 76–74 upset of 2000 NCAA-Tournament qualifier, Samford in the first round of the Holiday Tribune Classic. A&M-Corpus Christi even took its cracks at "Goliath" as well. In the finals of the Holiday Tribune Classic, the Islanders were tied 34–34 with Iowa State, the eventual champion of the Big 12 Conference and a team that advanced to the Elite Eight. [2]

Arrow put Texas A&M–Corpus Christi on the national map in 2003 when they were ranked in the top-25 Mid-Major Poll nearly the entire season last year and even received votes in the ESPN/USA Today Top-25 Coaches Poll during the 2004–2005 season. [2]

His Islanders got immediate attention when they took down Florida State, 70–67 on the Seminoles home court on Nov 22, 2004, then followed that up with an upset win over Old Dominion, handing the Monarchs one of their five losses in the regular season. [2]

During his tenure, Arrow led the Islanders to wins over such programs as Texas Tech and Texas A&M, as well as 2004 NCAA Tournament-qualifier Murray State. [2]

During the 2000–01 campaign, Arrow's Islanders notched a 14–14 record, which included an 86–80 victory over Texas Tech in Lubbock. Under his direction, the Islanders eclipsed the 100-point barrier six times en route to an 85.5-point per game average, which would have ranked third in the country if not for TAMUCC's "provisional" status. Michael Hicks finished off his brilliant two-year career by posting 26.7 points per contest, which would have ranked second among all NCAA Division I scorers. He gained all-region honors following the season. [2]

In 2007 Arrow and the Islanders earned their first berth in the NCAA Tournament at Midwest Regional as the #15 seed. [8] They lost 76–63 to #2 seed Wisconsin in the first round. [9]

Arrow was 134–91 in eight years at A&M-Corpus Christi. [1] His last three years, the Islanders were 66–23. They won the Southland Conference regular-season and tournament titles and made the school's first NCAA appearance in 2007, losing to number 2 seed, Wisconsin in the first round after leading by 18 pts. [10] He was named the 2007 Southland Conference Coach of the Year. [1]

South Alabama (second stint)

On April 17, 2007 Arrow returned for a second tenure at South Alabama. He inherited a veteran team left by John Pelphrey, who left for the University of Arkansas. [11] Arrow intended to employ an up-tempo style and build on the success of a South Alabama club that went 44–19 the last two years under Pelphrey. [10]

On January 24, 2009, in a game against the University of Louisiana at Lafayette's Ragin' Cajuns, Arrow contested the winning shot, claiming that the buzzer sounded before the Cajuns' Randell Daigle made the 3-point shot to win the game. After reviewing the video, Arrow argued with officials while a sports intern from KLFY-TV filmed the incident. [12] There has been no official complaint filed with the Sun Belt Conference or with South Alabama over the ordeal. [13]

Arrow abruptly announced his retirement from the University of South Alabama on December 19, 2012. The Jaguars had a 5–5 record at the time. He was succeeded on an interim basis by associate head coach Jeff Price.

Head coaching record

Statistics overview
SeasonTeamOverallConferenceStandingPostseason
San Jacinto College (Texas Junior College Athletic Conference)(1977–1987)
1977–78San Jacinto College 27–9
1978–79San Jacinto College 26–7
1979–80San Jacinto College 25–7
1980–81San Jacinto College 25–7
1981–82San Jacinto College 30–4
1982–83San Jacinto College 35–2 NJCAA Tournament Champion
1983–84San Jacinto College 35–2NJCAA Tournament Champion
1984–85San Jacinto College 25–4
1985–86San Jacinto College 37–0NJCAA Tournament Champion
1986–87San Jacinto College 36–1NJCAA Division I Tournament
San Jacinto College:302–43 (.875)
South Alabama Jaguars (Sun Belt Conference)(1987–1994)
1987–88 South Alabama 15–148–64th
1988–89 South Alabama 23–911–31st NCAA Division I Round of 32
1989–90 South Alabama 11–175–9T–6th
1990–91 South Alabama 22–911–31st NCAA Division I Round of 64
1991–92 South Alabama 14–149–75th
1992–93 South Alabama 15–139–96th
1993–94 South Alabama 13–149–9T–6th
1994–95 South Alabama 1–3––
South Alabama:114–93 (.551)62–46 (.574)
Texas A&M–Corpus Christi Islanders (NCAA Division III Independent)(1999–2002)
1999–00Texas A&M–Corpus Christi 13–13
2000–01Texas A&M–Corpus Christi 14–14
2001–02Texas A&M–Corpus Christi 12–15
Texas A&M–Corpus Christi Islanders (NCAA Division I Independent)(2002–2006)
2002–03 Texas A&M–Corpus Christi 14–15
2003–04 Texas A&M–Corpus Christi 15–11
2004–05 Texas A&M–Corpus Christi 20–8
2005–06 Texas A&M–Corpus Christi 20–8
Texas A&M–Corpus Christi Islanders (Southland Conference)(2006–2007)
2006–07 Texas A&M–Corpus Christi 26–714–21st (West) NCAA Division I Round of 64
Texas A&M–Corpus Christi:134–91 (.596)14–2 (.875)
South Alabama Jaguars (Sun Belt Conference)(2007–2012)
2007–08 South Alabama 26–716–2T–1st (East) NCAA Division I Round of 64
2008–09 South Alabama 20–1310–8T–3rd (East)
2009–10 South Alabama 17–158–105th (East)
2010–11 South Alabama 12–166–10T–4th (East)
2011–12 South Alabama 17–128–82nd (East)
2012–13 South Alabama 5–5––
South Alabama:97–68 (.588)48–38 (.558)
Total:647–295 (.687)

      National champion        Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion        Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion      Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

Awards

Personal

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The South Alabama Jaguars men's basketball program has competed in the Sun Belt Conference since 1978 when the league was formed. Since 1968, the Jaguars have compiled an overall record of 694–507 (.580). South Alabama has won the Sun Belt Conference championship five times and reached the NCAA tournament eight times. The Jaguars last NCAA tournament appearance was in 2008.

The Texas A&M–Corpus Christi Islanders is the basketball team that represent Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi in Corpus Christi, Texas, United States. The school's team currently competes in the Southland Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament in 2023. The Islanders are coached by Jim Shaw. The school's first season of basketball was 1999–2000.

The Southland Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year is an award given to the Southland Conference's (SLC) most outstanding player. The award was first given following the conference's inaugural basketball season of 1963–64. Five players have won the award two times: Jerry Rook, Larry Jeffries, Andrew Toney, Ryan Stuart and Thomas Walkup. No player has ever won three times. McNeese has the most all-time winners with nine. Among current SLC members, four have never had a winner: Houston Christian and Incarnate Word, both of which joined in 2013; East Texas A&M, which joined in 2022; and UTRGV, which is playing its first SLC season in 2024–25.

The 2012–13 South Alabama Jaguars basketball team represented the University of South Alabama during the 2012–13 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Jaguars were led by head coach Ronnie Arrow, in his sixth year of his second stint as head coach and 13th year overall, for the first 10 games until his abrupt resignation. They were led by interim head coach Jeff Price the remainder of the season. They played their home games at the Mitchell Center, and were members of the East Division of the Sun Belt Conference. They finished the season 17–13, 14–6 in Sun Belt play to finish in second place in the East Division. They lost in the quarterfinals of the Sun Belt tournament to WKU. They were invited to the 2013 CIT where they lost in the first round to Tulane.

The 2014–15 Texas A&M–Corpus Christi Islanders men's basketball team represented Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi in the 2014–15 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. This was head coach Willis Wilson's fourth season at Texas A&M–Corpus Christi. The Islanders are members of the Southland Conference and played their home games at the American Bank Center and the Dugan Wellness Center.

The 2015–16 Louisiana–Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns men's basketball team represented the University of Louisiana at Lafayette during the 2015–16 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Ragin' Cajuns, led by sixth year head coach Bob Marlin, played their home games at the Cajundome and were members of the Sun Belt Conference. They finished the season 19–15, 12–8 in Sun Belt play to finish in fourth place. They defeated South Alabama to advance to the semifinals of the Sun Belt tournament where they lost to Arkansas–Little Rock. They were invited to the CollegeInsider.com Tournament where they defeated Texas A&M–Corpus Christi and Furman to advance to the quarterfinals where they lost to UC Irvine.

The South Alabama Jaguars women's basketball team represents the University of South Alabama in NCAA Division I competition. They are a member of the Sun Belt Conference.

The 2017–18 South Alabama Jaguars women's basketball team represented the University of South Alabama during the 2017–18 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Jaguars were led by fifth year head coach Terry Fowler and played their home games at the Mitchell Center as members in the Sun Belt Conference. They finished the season 21–13, 11–7 in Sun Belt play to finish in fifth place. They advanced to the second round of the Sun Belt women's tournament where they lost to Troy. They accepted a bid to the Women's Basketball Invitational and advanced to the semifinals but lost to Yale in overtime.

The 2018–19 South Alabama Jaguars women's basketball team represented the University of South Alabama during the 2018–19 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Jaguars were led by sixth year head coach Terry Fowler and played their home games at the Mitchell Center as members in the Sun Belt Conference. They finished the season 25–11, 9–9 in Sun Belt play to finish in a tie for sixth place. They advanced to the championship game of the Sun Belt women's tournament where they lost to Little Rock. They received an at-large bid to the WNIT where they defeated Lamar in the first round before losing to Wyoming in the second round.

The 2019–20 Texas A&M–Corpus Christi Islanders men's basketball team represented Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi in the 2019–20 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Islanders, led by ninth-year head coach Willis Wilson, played their home games at American Bank Center, with three games at the Dugan Wellness Center, both of which are in Corpus Christi, Texas, as members of the Southland Conference. They finished the season 14–18, 10–10 in Southland play to finish in a three-way tie for sixth place. They lost in the first round of the Southland tournament to Northwestern State.

The 2019–20 South Alabama Jaguars men's basketball team represented the University of South Alabama during the 2019–20 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Jaguars were led by second-year head coach Richie Riley and played their home games at the Mitchell Center in Mobile, Alabama as members in the Sun Belt Conference. They finished the season 20–11, 13–7 in Sun Belt play to finish in a tie for second place. They were set to be the No. 2 seed in the Sun Belt tournament, however, the tournament was cancelled amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 1988–89 South Alabama Jaguars basketball team represented the University of South Alabama during the 1988–89 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Jaguars were led by head coach Ronnie Arrow, in the second year of his first stint as head coach. They played their home games at the Mobile Civic Center, and were members of the Sun Belt Conference. They finished the season 23–9, 11–3 in Sun Belt play to finish in first place. They won the Sun Belt tournament to earn an automatic bid to the 1989 NCAA tournament as the 11 seed in the Southeast region. In the opening round, the Jaguars upset Alabama before losing to the eventual National champion, Michigan, in the second round.

The 1990–91 South Alabama Jaguars basketball team represented the University of South Alabama during the 1990–91 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Jaguars were led by head coach Ronnie Arrow, in the fourth year of his first stint as head coach. They played their home games at the Mitchell Center, and were members of the Sun Belt Conference. They finished the season 22–9, 11–3 in Sun Belt play to finish in first place. They won the Sun Belt tournament to earn an automatic bid to the 1991 NCAA tournament as the 13 seed in the West region. In the opening round, the Jaguars lost to Utah.

The 2007–08 South Alabama Jaguars basketball team represented the University of South Alabama during the 2007–08 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Jaguars were led by head coach Ronnie Arrow, in the first year of his second stint as head coach. They played their home games at the Mitchell Center, and were members of the Sun Belt Conference. They finished the season 26–7, 16–2 in Sun Belt play to finish tied for first place. They lost in the semifinals of the Sun Belt tournament, but received an at-large bid to the 2008 NCAA tournament as the 10 seed in the East region. In the opening round, the Jaguars lost to Butler.

The 2021–22 South Alabama Jaguars men's basketball team represented the University of South Alabama in the 2021–22 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Jaguars, led by fourth-year head coach Richie Riley, play their home games at the Mitchell Center in Mobile, Alabama as members in the Sun Belt Conference.

The 2022–23 Texas A&M–Corpus Christi Islanders men's basketball team represent Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi in the 2022–23 NCAA Division I men's basketball season as members of the Southland Conference. The Islanders are led by second-year head coach Steve Lutz. With the exception of four games at the Dugan Wellness Center, all home games are at American Bank Center. Both arenas are located in Corpus Christi, Texas. They finished the season 24–11, 14–4 in Southland play to win the regular season championship. They defeated McNeese and Northwestern State to win the Southland tournament for the second consecutive year. As a result, they received the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, as a No. 16 seed in the South region. In the First Four, they defeated Southeast Missouri State before losing to overall No. 1 seed Alabama in the First Round.

The 2006–07 Texas A&M–Corpus Christi Islanders men's basketball team represented Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi in the 2006–07 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Islanders, led by eighth-year head coach Ronnie Arrow, competed as members of the Southland Conference. They played most of their home games at American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas. They finished the season 26–7, 14–2 in Southland play to atop the conference standings. As the No. 1 seed, they defeated Southeastern Louisiana, McNeese State, and Northwestern State to win the Southland tournament. They received the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament as the No. 15 seed in the Midwest Region, where they lost in the opening round to Wisconsin. This was the program's first appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

The 2005–06 South Alabama Jaguars basketball team represented the University of South Alabama during the 2005–06 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Jaguars were led by head coach John Pelphrey, in his fourth season as head coach. They played their home games at the Mitchell Center, and were members of the Sun Belt Conference. They finished the season 24–7, 12–3 in Sun Belt play to finish in first place. They won the Sun Belt tournament to secure the conference's automatic bid to the 2006 NCAA tournament as No. 14 seed in the Minneapolis region. In the opening round, the Jaguars lost to No. 3 seed and eventual National champion Florida.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Meet The Coach". Press-Register. May 14, 2007. pp. 3C.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 "Ronnie Arrow". GoIslanders.com. Archived from the original on May 26, 2011. Retrieved March 13, 2007.
  3. ↑ "Jaguars open 2006–07 season at Fresno Tournament Friday". USAJaguars.com. November 9, 2006. Retrieved March 13, 2007.
  4. 1 2 3 "Ronnie Arrow, Sheryl Estes preparing Islander basketball teams for fall 1999". IslanderSports. Archived from the original on February 12, 2007. Retrieved March 13, 2007.
  5. ↑ Clary, Gareth (April 18, 2007). "Jaguars hope to recapture Arrow magic". Press-Register. pp. 1C.
  6. ↑ "USA Basketball All-Time Men's Head Coaches". USABasketball.com. Archived from the original on December 30, 2006. Retrieved 2007-03-16.
  7. 1 2 McDill, Kent (March 16, 2007). "These coaches will lead their teams at United Center". DailyHerald.com. Retrieved March 17, 2007.
  8. ↑ Goddard, Lee (March 14, 2007). "Arrow Bows Up". Press-Register.
  9. ↑ "Men's NCAA Tournament". CNNSI.com. Archived from the original on March 13, 2007. Retrieved March 17, 2007.
  10. 1 2 Shugart, Kim (April 18, 2007). "Arrow back at USA". Press Register. pp. 1C.
  11. ↑ Shugart, Kim (April 17, 2007). "Jaguars to introduce Arrow as coach today". Press Register. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved April 17, 2007.
  12. ↑ "South Alabama coach Ronnie Arrow loses it!". KLFY-TV. Retrieved January 26, 2009.
  13. ↑ "South Alabama coach loses it". The Independent. Retrieved January 26, 2009.[ dead link ]
  14. ↑ "Jags place four on All-Sun Belt Team, Arrow Named coach of the year". usajaguars.com. March 4, 2008. Retrieved March 7, 2008.
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