George Melvin (Jud) Heathcote

George Melvin (Jud) Heathcoate

Michigan State Basketball Coach (1976 – 1995)

Jud Heathcoate was born in Harvey, North Dakota and was a three-sport athlete at South Kitsap High School. Heathcoate was enrolled in a Navy V-5 program in World War II moving on to Washington State after the war ended where he focused on basketball. After graduation, Heathcoate coached at multiple levels before being named the head coach at Montana in 1971 where he won two Big Sky championships. He moved on to Michigan State in 1976 and during his 19 seasons at MSU, Heathcoate's teams participated in nine NCAA tournaments winning the NCAA Championship in 1979. He won three Big Ten championships and was twice named Big Ten coach of the year and the National Association of Basketall Coaches Coach of the year in 1990.  Heathcoate retired as MSU's winningest basketball coach with a record of 340 - 220, overall his teams won 420 games. Jud Heathcoate was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame and was inducted the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 2000. He passed away on August 28, 2017 at 90 years of age.