KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- At some point over the next six days, Mid-America Christian University men's basketball head coach Willie Holley will coach his final game. In a coaching era where stability and commitment has slowly become a thing of the past, Holley has stood the test of time as he is winding down his 42nd and final season as head coach of the MACU Evangels.
Holley has been a fixture at MACU, also serving as the school's Athletic Director from 1973 until stepping down in 2012.
"My tenure here at MACU has been three words: Sent, Went, Put," Holley said.
"When I first came to Gulf Coast Bible College (now MACU), I went for one semester," Holley said. "God sent me, so I went there and stayed put and He just hasn't moved me. God gave me a vision and a burden and the administration here has allowed it to flourish and mature into what it is today."
This season has already had its share of milestones for Holley and the Evangels. Holley became only the 18th coach in college basketball history to reach 800 career victories and currently stands at 811 wins.
Holley also guided the Evangels to their first-ever Sooner Athletic Conference regular season championship that culminated in the program's first berth to the NAIA National Tournament.
During his long tenure at MACU, Holley has guided the Evangels to four National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) national championships, 19 NCCAA Regional titles and 23 NCCAA national tournament appearances. He has also coached 27 All-Americans, including seven multiple All-American recipients.
"There are memorable wins, such as our National Christian College Athletic Association national championships, but what I always remember is the players and the memories you make are always about people. I haven't scored a single point; it's the players that have won the games and have bought into what we're selling. It's never been about the records."
Doing the juggling act as both a head coach and athletic director for such a long period of time can understandably be difficult, Holley's demeanor and work ethic made it possible to sustain the kind of success expected over the long haul.
"The responsibilities of the Athletic Director and Men Basketball Coach demands two full time people, one at each of these positions, in order to do the jobs justice," Holley said.
"I worked for 40 years in both positions, as well as fulfilling responsibilities as Dean of Men, Financial Aid Director, etc. Needless to say these were 20 hour days at the institution, spending eight as AD, eight as basketball coach and four doing other responsibilities. Of course, I had good people around me as support staff and these individuals provided the opportunity for success in each of the areas. However, after my accident and with the growth of the Athletic Department, it became obvious that I (one person) could not continue to provide the leadership needed in all these areas. Therefore, I made the decision under God's leading to resign as AD and do what is and has been my first love and that is coaching."
Holley has also been a shining beacon for Christian leadership during a time when many leaders are compromising their principles in hopes of winning a few more games or filling the seats.
With the satisfaction of successfully standing the test of time at one university, one might expect someone to rest on their laurels and head off into the sunset of retirement. But that one person wouldn't know Willie Holley.
In the 2007-08 season, Holley led a landmark move by spearheading the athletic departments' venture into the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and the highly competitive Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC) for each of the school's eight varsity sports.
After enduring an expected rough transition year in the 2007-08 campaign, Holley guided the Evangels to 20 wins in 2009-10, along with a 13-9 conference record and a spot in the SAC postseason tourney.
The breakout season occurred when the Evangels finished tied for third in the SAC in the 2012-13 season and broke into the NAIA Top 25 for the first time in program history.
MACU continued their ascension last season by finishing tied for second in the conference, but narrowly missed out on an NAIA tourney bid by one spot.
Winning the SAC regular season title this season made sure to eliminate any drama for Holley and the Evangels earning an NAIA National Tournament berth.
"This year has been a coaching dream," Holley said. "I had no idea that we would be as successful as we have been this year. For this program to win the SAC regular season championship with the limited amount of scholarship players and with a part time assistant coach is remarkable."
"I really feel like we were slighted the past two years in not getting into the NAIA National Tournament, but that is way the game is played and I was OK with it. I was wondering if we would reach the 800 mark in wins and to be at 811 with the National Tournament in front of us is remarkable to me. To win the SAC Championship and to be the first sport to reach an NAIA National Championship Tournament is very satisfying to me as a coach."
Rare is it now that not only for a coach to be content to stay at a university for 42 years, but also to achieve the kind of success and accomplishments to encourage a school to retain them over this long period of time. But such is the case with Holley and MACU, as the two formed a lasting partnership that will fittingly end at the pinnacle of NAIA Basketball, the hallowed Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.
Holley has already amassed 811 career wins, what's five more that would add an NAIA National Championship to his already legendary resume?
