Obituary

RICHMOND, Ky. – Former Eastern Kentucky University basketball and baseball coach Jack Hissom passed away on Wednesday, Nov. 25.
 
Hissom, who was selected as a member of the 2020 EKU Athletics Hall of Fame class was involved in Eastern athletics for 12 seasons in two different sports.

He started his EKU career in 1967, serving the men's basketball team as assistant coach while also serving as the team's freshman coach.  As one of head coach Guy Strong's two assistant coaches, he was personally responsible for recruiting some of the current EKU Hall of Fame basketball inductees.  During his tenure as Eastern's freshman team coach, Hissom compiled a six-year record of 67-41.  This stint was highlighted by the 1968-69 Colonel frosh team that went 12-6 and averaged more than 90 points per game. 
 
In 1972, Hissom switched sports and was named EKU's head baseball coach.  In eight seasons, the Colonel baseball teams went 122-116-8 and won two Ohio Valley Conference Eastern Division titles.  His 1978 squad finished 13th in the nation with a .328 team batting average.