Riley Wallace

Robert Riley Wallace (born October 25, 1941) is an American retired basketball coach. He spent most of his career coaching college basketball, and was the head coach of the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors men's team from 1987 through 2007.

Early life and college playing career Born in Alton, Illinois, Wallace graduated from Jersey Community High School in Jerseyville, Illinois in 1959. After high school, Wallace attended Centenary College of Louisiana and started at forward all three years on the Centenary Gentlemen varsity basketball team from 1960 to 1963. Wallace led Centenary in field goal percentage with at least 8 attempts per game (.450) as a sophomore in 1960–61 and rebounding (222 n the season, 8.5 per game) as a junior in 1961–62.

Wallace graduated from Centenary in 1964 with a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education.

Coaching career After graduating from Centenary, Wallace became an assistant basketball coach at Litchfield High School in Litchfield, Illinois under Larry Little. Wallace was also track and field head coach at Litchfield High from 1964 to 1967. Wallace completed a Master of Education degree at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign College of Education in 1968.

In 1971, Wallace returned to Centenary College to be assistant basketball coach, again under Larry Little. He became head basketball coach and athletic director in 1976, then resigned midway in the 1977–78 season to be associate head coach at Hawaii, again under Little. Wallace remained in this position until 1984.

Head coaching record

College

Resigned in January 1978 to become associate head coach at Hawaii.

Junior college