The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss Women's Basketball Names Gil Thompson To Staff
7/31/2000 | Women's Basketball
July 31, 2000
OXFORD, Miss. - Gil Thompson, a graduate of Alcorn State University, has joined the Ole Miss women's basketball program, head coach Ron Aldy announced Monday. Thompson replaces John Ishee, a member of the staff for the past three seasons, who left to take a position with the St. Louis University woman's basketball program.
Thompson comes to Ole Miss after spending last season as the head girls basketball coach at Raymond High School. He led the Rangerettes to a 33-5 overall record and the 4A State Championship, the first in the school's history. Raymond finished the season ranked No. 3 in the final Clarion-Ledger poll and Thompson was named the Clarion-Ledger Metro Coach-of-the-Year.
"We are very pleased to have Gil Thompson joining our staff," Aldy said. "He is respected and well-known, not only in the state of Mississippi, but throughout the South. His discipline, hardwork, love of family and belief in doing things the right way, will be a great asset to our program."
"I am extremely excited about the opportunity to work for a prestigious university such as Ole Miss," Thompson said. "The chance to work in the Southeastern Conference is a dream come true, and I am looking forward to the challenge."
Before becoming the head girls coach at Raymond, Thompson was an assistant coach for the Raymond boys and girl's teams from 1996-1999. During the 1999 season the boys won the 3A State Championship.
Since 1990, Thompson has directed the Mean Green Machine AAU club leading his teams to eight AAU State Championships. He also coached the BCI National Champion girls 14-under in 1997 and earned BCI Coach of the Year honors.
"His playing experience at the Division I level and his coaching credentials speak for themselves, but the thing that stands out as much to us as all of his qualifications, is that he is an outstanding person," Aldy added. "Gil will blend nicely with our staff and our players and help take this program where we want it to go."
A four-year letterman in basketball at Alcorn State, Thompson captained the 1981 team and then served as a student assistant coach in 1982. He graduated from Alcorn State in 1982 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business.
