Some names are never seperated from their community.
And, although Marty Simmons has spent the better part of the last 30 yeras in Southern Indiana, he will always be a big part of the identity of Lawrenceville, Ill.
The current University of Evansville men’s basketball coach will always be one of the biggest names in a town where basketball success help define the community for a decade in the 1970’s and 80’s under legendary Illinois coach Ron Felling.
Simmons, the 1983 Mr. Basketball for Illinois, helped lead the Indians to a remarkable run of 68-0 and a pair of Class A state titles in 1982 and 1983.
After high school, Simmons spent his first two years of college playing for Bob Knight and Indiana University Hoosiers. During his freshman year, he and fellow freshman Steve Alford were an important part of the Hoosiers’ “Elite Eight” run in the 1984 NCAA Tournament. His 1985 team at Indiana finished second in the National Invitation Tournament.
Read more about Marty Simmons on page 18 of our online issue.