Hall of Champions
Ron Ekker served as the men’s basketball coach from 1973-78 and compiled a five-year record of 65-70 and was primarily responsible for recruiting Maurice Cheeks to WT.
Over the 1975-76 and 76-77 seasons, Ekker guided WT to a record of 37-19. Included in that record was an 84-76 overtime win at Louisville on Jan. 3, 1976, a win that propelled the Buffs into the national Top-20 rankings.
Ekker’s Buffs advanced through the 1977 Missouri Valley Conference post-season tournament, defeating Tulsa, New Mexico State and Wichita State before eventually losing to Southern Illinois, 82-69, at Wichita, Kan., in the championship game.
Off the court, in conjunction with several of the program’s supporters, Ekker helped to start the Cager Club, the Cager Club Golf Tournament, as well as help establish live basketball radio broadcasts.
After leaving WT, Ekker was head coach at St. Louis and Louisville of the CBA. He was also an assistant coach in the NBA with Dallas, Cleveland, and Orlando.
