Millersville

Three-time PSAC East Coach of the Year Fred Thompson has proven to be one of the all-time great Millersville coaches in a program that boasts many legendary leaders. Thompson enters his 18th season at Millersville in 2015-16 with a record of 268-211 (.559). He ranks third in the program’s history for career wins, and on Jan. 23, 2010, he became just the third coach in school history--and the second fastest--to 200 victories. Thompson is also one of just five head coaches in Millersville’s 114-season history to reach the 100-win milestone. His teams are 119-104 against the PSAC East and 171-69 at home during his tenure.

Thompson's teams have made four appearances in the NCAA Division II Tournament, won three PSAC Eastern Division titles and captured two PSAC Tournament championships. He has coached eight teams to at least 16 wins and posted four 20-win seasons.

Thompson has guided the program to three NCAA Division II East Regional title games. In 2007-08, his talented Marauders advanced to the NCAA East Regional championship game for a second consecutive season. Millersville finished 22-10 and picked up tournament victories over Edinboro and Pittsburgh-Johnstown before falling to California (Pa.). The Marauders also defeated Kutztown in the first round of the PSAC Tournament.

During the 2006-07 season, Thompson led the Marauders to the most wins in a single season in school history (28). The team’s 16-game winning streak was the third longest in school history. Thompson earned his second PSAC Tournament championship with a 79-68 victory over Cheyney and the Marauders advanced to the NCAA Regional Finals, where they lost to eventual Division II champion Barton. For leading the Marauders to the league title, Thompson earned his third PSAC Eastern Division Coach of the Year honor (previous awards in 2001-02, 2004-05).

The 2004-05 Marauders were picked by coaches to finish fifth in the PSAC East Division. Instead, the Marauders began the season with a 9-1 record, forged a second-place tie with rival West Chester in divisional play and unleashed an exciting PSAC Tournament run that featured wins over West Chester (61-57 in overtime, the first win at WCU since 1995) and Shippensburg, before Edinboro ended MU’s title hopes in the PSAC Championship game, 85-76.

The 2002-03 Marauders captured the program’s fourth modern-era PSAC Tournament championship -- and first since 1993 -- when they beat Mansfield, Clarion and California (Pa.) to claim the crown. Then, in the NCAA-II East Regionals in Charlotte, N.C., Thompson guided the Marauders to tourney wins over Belmont Abbey and Barton for a berth in the East Regional final before they lost to Queens.

MU’s 26-6 record in 2002-03 tied for the second-most wins in a season in school history. The Marauders captured the PSAC Eastern Division title with an 11-1 division mark and posted an undefeated record at Pucillo Gymnasium (13-0). The Marauders, who finished 20th in the final NABC Division II poll, won 19 of their final 21 games.

The 2001-02 campaign marked a breakthrough when he guided the Marauders to their first PSAC Eastern Division title since 1995. Thompson’s squad showed resilience by overcoming a 1-5 start to win 16 of its final 21 contests, including a thrilling 82-80 last-second win at Mansfield that clinched a share of the division title.

Thompson made an immediate impact on Marauder fortunes in 1998-99. Emphasizing a commitment to strong defensive play, Millersville became one of the stingiest units in the NCAA Division II and the PSAC. Opposing squads averaged only 61.2 points per game and 39.3 percent from the field against Millersville’s aggressive man-to-man approach. Subsequently, the Marauders returned to their winning ways for the first time in three years, finishing with an 18-9 overall record.

The likeable Sumter, S.C., native came to MU from Dundalk (Md.) High School near Baltimore, where he served as boys’ basketball coach during the 1997-98 academic year.

For five seasons, Thompson was head coach at Meridian (Miss.) Community College, where he posted an 84-63 record. In his first season there (1991-92), he directed Meridian to a 22-8 record, the Miss-Lou Conference championship, and a second-place finish in the National Junior College Athletic Association Region 23 tournament. Under Thompson’s guidance, Meridian posted three Miss-Lou tournament runner-up placements. His 1994-95 squad compiled a 19-11 mark.

Thompson began his coaching career at Meridian as an assistant during the 1990-91 season. For three years (1990-93), he served as MCC residence hall director.

A 1990 graduate of the University of Louisiana at Monroe with a bachelor’s of science degree in physical education, Thompson served in the U.S. Army for three years (1983-86) and was stationed at Fort Polk, La. He received an honorable discharge from the Army with the rank of Specialist E-4. Fred and his wife, Javita, reside in Columbia with their two daughters, Ahrehon and Asonti.