Meet the Coaches

Gene Ford
Head Coach

Gene Ford, a Muskingum alumnus (1974) and charter member of Muskingum’s Athletic Hall of Fame, is entering his sixth season as head basketball coach.

Over his first four seasons, Ford has coached two 1,000-point scorers in Brandon Todd and Trevor Scott and led the Muskies to the OAC Tournament Final Four. He has led Muskingum to the top of the Ohio Atheltic Conference in assists per game, fewest turnovers per game, best turnover/assist ratio, scoring defense, free throw shooting percentage, three-point field goal shooting percentage and rebounding defense.

Before taking over the helm of the Muskie program, Ford served as assistant basketball coach at Muskingum, where he helped guide the 2005-06 Muskies to their best record (17-9) in 15 years, a third place finish in the rugged OAC, and a trip to the OAC Tournament Final Four.

Prior to his arrival at Muskingum, Ford coached for 25 years at Cambridge High School where he compiled a record of 400-183 (.687) and led his teams to 18 sectional titles, eight district crowns and five regional titles, leading to five state tournament appearances. The 1994-95 team finished as the Ohio Division II state runner-up. His teams also won or shared 10 East Central Ohio League championships.

Ford, who was inducted into the Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2007 and the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference Hall of Fame in 2009, was named OHSBCA Division II Coach of the Year in 1988 and also won Coach of the Year honors in the Eastern District, OVAC, ECOL and District 12. He received the OVAC’s Earl Haberfield Coaches Award in 2006. He has served as president of the District 12 Basketball Coaches Association, as a trustee for the Ohio High School Athletic Association Foundation and on the Board of Directors of the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame Museum.

At Muskingum, the Black & Magenta graduate was a four-year basketball letterman and still ranks second all-time in scoring with 1,717 career points. He was an All-American honoree and a three-time All-Ohio Athletic Conference selection. Ford was named the Mike Gregory OAC Player of the Year as a senior and was a charter member of the Muskingum College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1980.

Ford received his master’s degree in health and human services in 1988 from Ohio University and has three sons, Geno (head basketball coach at Bradley University), Dustin (assistant basketball coach at the University of Illinois) and Ryan (working on PGA certification).

Dave Kirby
Assistant Coach

Dave Kirby returns for his 15th season as an assistant coach for the men’s basketball team.

Prior to joining the coaching staff at Muskingum, Kirby served as an assistant coach at nearby Cambridge High School for two seasons from 1996-98. Prior to Cambridge, he was involved with scouting and game preparation for Division II California University of Pennsylvania from 1991-93. Additionally, he served as assistant varsity coach at Waynesburg (Pa.) High School from 1990-93.

A Moundsville, W.Va. native, Kirby graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s (’90) and master’s (’95 & ’97) degrees in physical education and sports medicine from West Virginia University. Kirby also serves as the men’s golf coach at Muskingum and is a lecturer in the Health and Physical Education Department. Kirby has guided the golf squad to the NCAA National Golf Championships for two straight years. Dave and his wife, Amanda (MU class of ‘97), and their sons Elliott (12) and Landon (newborn), reside in New Concord.