Davey L. Whitney, Sr. affectionately known as "The Wiz" while at Alcorn State University, coached for the Braves from 1969 to 1989 and returned as the head coach from 1996 to 2003.
A native of Lexington, Kentucky Whitney earned his Bachelor's degree from Kentucky State and played baseball, basketball, football and ran track during his four-year career. For his accomplishments, he was enshrined into the Kentucky State Hall of Fame. After finishing college, Whitney served in the Army and played professional baseball in the Negro Baseball League.
He entered the realm of coaching basketball in 1964 as the head coach of Texas Southern. He held that position from 1964 to 1969 before arriving at Alcorn in 1969.Â
In his first season as the Braves coach, he compiled a record of 16-9 but helped the Braves reach new heights during the 1972-73. Whitney and the Braves posted a 24-5 record while capturing his first SWAC title.
Whitney's teams went on to win 12 SWAC regular season titles including four straight between 1979 and 1982, six NCAA Tournament appearances and three NIT appearances. During the 1978-79 season, Whitney's Braves recorded the best season in his 32 years of coaching by posting a 28-0 and earning a spot in the National Invitational Tournament. The Braves defeated Mississippi State 80-78 becoming one of the first historically black universities to compete and win in the NIT.Â
The following season the Braves made history once again by becoming the first historically black university to earn a bid in the NCAA Division I Tournament while finishing the 1978-79 season with a 28-2 record. The Braves defeated South Alabama 70-62 in the first round before falling to LSU 98-88.
During the 1983 and 1984 seasons, Whitney led the Braves to consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and captured wins over Xavier (OH) 81-75 and Houston Baptist (79-60).
Whitney left Alcorn in 1989 before returning as the Braves head coach in 1996 to work his old magic back into the life of Alcorn State basketball. After rebuilding the Braves in his first two seasons back, he finally restored the team during the 1998-99 season when he led the Braves to an impressive 23-7 record and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Whitney and the Braves captured his final SWAC title in 2002 after guiding the Braves to a 21-10 record and his last NCAA Tournament appearance.
Whitney won nine SWAC Coach of the Year awards while at Alcorn.Â
He was inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, Alcorn State Hall of Fame, the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and the SWAC Hall of Fame. His legacy continues to spread across the world and he will always be remembered as "The Wiz."
