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Leo Richardson
Biographical details
Born(1931-12-19)December 19, 1931
Gresham, South Carolina, U.S.
DiedJuly 23, 2023(2023-07-23) (aged 91)
South Carolina, U.S.
Playing career
Football
c. 1953Morris
Basketball
c. 1953Morris
Position(s)Guard
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1961–1963Morris
1964–1968Savannah State
Basketball
1964–1971Savannah State
1973–1978Buffalo
Head coaching record
Overall28–38–4 (football)
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
SIAC Basketball Coach of the Year (1970)
Savannah State University Sports Hall of Fame inductee (2010)

Leo Richardson (December 19, 1931 – July 23, 2023) was an American basketball and football coach. Richardson was the head basketball coach at Savannah State University from 1964 to 1971, and the University at Buffalo from 1973 to 1978.[1][2] He compiled an overall basketball coaching record of 146–176. Richardson led the Savannah State basketball team to a Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference conference tournament title in 1970, for which he was named coach of the year.[3] He was the University at Buffalo's first African American head basketball coach. He also served as the head football coach at Savannah State from 1964 to 1968, compiling a record of 13–25–2. Richardson was elected to the Savannah State University Sports Hall of Fame in 2010.[4][5]

Richardson was born in Gresham, South Carolina and attended elementary and high school in Loris, South Carolina. He played football and basketball at Morris College in Sumter, South Carolina before graduating in 1954. Richardson then coached football and basketball at A. L. Corbett High School in Wagener, South Carolina. Richardson earned a master's degree from the Tuskegee Institute—now known as Tuskegee University—in 1961.[6][7] Richardson died in South Carolina on July 23, 2023, at the age of 91.[8]

Head coaching record

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Football

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Morris Hornets () (1961–1963)
1961 Morris 3–5–2
1962 Morris 5–5
1963 Morris 7–3
Morris: 15–13–2
Savannah State Tigers (NCAA College Division independent) (1964–1968)
1964 Savannah State 1–6
1965 Savannah State 1–6–1
1966 Savannah State 3–5
1967 Savannah State 6–2–1
1968 Savannah State 2–6
Savannah State: 13–25–2
Total: 28–38–4

Basketball

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Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Savannah State Tigers (NCAA College Division independent) (1964–1969)
1964–65 Savannah State 9–20
1965–66 Savannah State 17–6
1966–67 Savannah State 15–13
1967–68 Savannah State 20–9
1968–69 Savannah State 15–16
Savannah State Tigers (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (1969–1971)
1969–70 Savannah State 18–9
1970–71 Savannah State 18–11
Savannah State: 112–84 (.571)
Buffalo Bulls (NCAA Division I independent) (1973–1978)
1973–74 Buffalo 5–20
1974–75 Buffalo 8–17
1975–76 Buffalo 10–16
1976–77 Buffalo 5–21
1977–78 Buffalo 6–18
Buffalo: 34–92 (.270)
Total: 146–176 (.453)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References

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  1. ^ "State Univ. Of N. Y. Names Black Basketball Coach". Johnson Publishing Company. Jet. June 7, 1973. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  2. ^ "South Carolina General Assembly Bill 4337". June 17, 1997. Archived from the original on December 21, 2016. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  3. ^ "Savannah State Wins SIAC Cage Tourney". Johnson Publishing Company. Jet. March 19, 1970. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  4. ^ "Hall of Fame — Savannah State Athletics — Dr. Leo Richardson". Savannah State University. Archived from the original on February 24, 2017. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  5. ^ "Hall of Fame — Savannah State Athletics". Savannah State University. Archived from the original on February 24, 2017. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  6. ^ "Richardson To Coach Morris College Team". The Item. Sumter, South Carolina. August 7, 1961. p. 8. Retrieved October 10, 2022 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  7. ^ "Leo Richardson Lands Savannah State Post". Pittsburgh Courier. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. April 18, 1964. p. 14. Retrieved October 10, 2022 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  8. ^ Bambini, Cole (July 25, 2023). "Former UB men's basketball coach Leo Richardson dies; was program's first Black head coach". The Buffalo News. Archived from the original on July 26, 2023. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
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