Southeastern Oklahoma State University Athletics

Basketball (1964-65)

Wayne Cobb was one of the most renowned basketball coaches in southern Oklahoma. He was born August 18, 1940, in Redland, Oklahoma and moved to Muse, Oklahoma to begin his freshman year at Muse High School.

For almost four decades Cobb served as head coach at the high school, the junior college, and senior college level. He amassed an overall record of 638-345 and had only four losing seasons during his 35-year career.

Before his collegiate coaching debut, Cobb was at Chattanooga and Sulphur High Schools. In 1969, he took over the helm at Murray State College as head men’s basketball coach where he compiled a record of 184-84 over a nine-year span.

Cobb was named head basketball coach at East Central University in 1978. His ECU accomplishments included eight regular-season conference titles, six 20-win seasons, four NAIA National Tournament appearance, and two post-season conference tournament championships. Additionally, Cobb is East Central’s all-time winningest coach with a record of 417 wins and 251 losses.

He was a protégé of legendary Southeastern basketball coach Bloomer Sullivan. As a cager for the Savages, he was an outstanding post player who was named NAIA Honorable mention All-America and was a two-time All-Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference performer in 1964 and 1965. He was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame in 2002.

Wayne Cobb, with his trademark rolled paper between his fingers and a foot stomp, has been a mainstay in Oklahoma state college basketball. His achievements have brought honor to himself, his alma mater, and the profession he loved dearly. Southeastern honored him with membership in the Athletic Hall of Fame on February 12, 2005.