On May 30, 2019, Missouri Baptist University Associate Vice President & Director of Athletics Dr. Thomas Smith announced the hiring of Preston Ingram as the 14th head coach in MBU men's basketball history.
Ingram’s 15-year collegiate coaching career has included successful stints as an assistant at NAIA’s Evangel (Mo.) and Avila (Mo.), as well as Pittsburg State (Kan.) and Angelo State (Texas), both NCAA Division II universities. In addition to his experience at the college level, Ingram is well-connected and has a proven track record as head coach of elite prep and AAU basketball programs.
The Springfield, Mo., native jumpstarted his college coaching career at his alma mater, Evangel University. Ingram had the opportunity to learn and coach alongside NAIA Hall of Famer Steve Jenkins, who ranks fourth all-time in wins among active NAIA coaches. In six years as an assistant, Ingram helped lead the Crusaders to five consecutive 20-win seasons and four NAIA National Tournament appearances – three at the NAIA DII level and one in Evangel’s first season at the NAIA DI level.
Following Evangel, Ingram became an assistant coach at Avila University for three seasons. While there, Ingram recruited and coached Avila University’s first and only NAIA All-American, Sedrick Johnson, and also helped the Eagles to their best record in 10 years.
During his time in Springfield and Kansas City, Ingram also built up his AAU coaching resume. In 1999, Ingram started coaching for the Springfield Rockets, a successful AAU program founded by mentor and Avila head coach at the time, Rodney Perry. Starting in 2007, Ingram began a six-year stint working for MOKAN Elite, one of the nation’s top AAU programs in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL). He coached and worked closely with eventual NBA players such as Willie Cauley-Stein, Anthony Tolliver, Semi Ojeleye and Willie Reed. Between the Springfield Rockets and MOKAN Elite, Ingram helped more than 55 players earn college basketball scholarships at all levels of the NCAA and NAIA.
In 2013, Ingram landed an assistant coaching position at Pittsburg State University and eventually was promoted in his fourth season (2016-17) to the top assistant role on Kevin Muff’s staff. Competing in one of the toughest D2 basketball conferences, Ingram helped the Gorillas grab their first-ever MIAA conference tournament championship in 2015. While overseeing the team’s defense, PSU held teams to 65.1 points per game. During his tenure in Pittsburg, Kan., Ingram recruited and coached multiple all-conference award winners including current MBU graduate assistant coach Javis Flynn, along with four Provost’s Award Winners for academic excellence.
Prior to his most recent stops at world-renowned IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., and Combine Academy in North Carolina, Ingram coached one season at another successful program in Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas. At ASU, Ingram was tasked with guard development, scouting, defense, the strength and conditioning program. He was also key in helping sign D1 transfer Joshua Boutte and one of the top JUCO players in Davion Cole Johnson.
Through the years, Ingram has helped organize numerous individual and team camps, AAU basketball camps, Nike Pre-Draft Camp and Nike Elite 100 Camps. He was also heavily involved with Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) as a motivational speaker and mentor for at-risk kids through a program called UpRising.
As a player at Evangel, Ingram was a student-athlete on the historic 2001-02 NAIA Division II National Championship basketball team. That particular Evangel squad posted a 35-1 record while maintaining the No. 1 ranking in the polls the entire season. As a senior, he was a team captain and selected as the Crusaders’ Defensive Player of the Year in 2003-04.
Ingram graduated from Evangel in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in Marketing & Management. He later obtained a Master of Science in Human, Health, Performance and Recreation from Pittsburg State in 2016. Preston and his wife, Shanna, have two children: Mya and Sebastian.
What They Are Saying About Ingram:
“Preston Ingram and Missouri Baptist are a perfect match for each other! Preston is a Missouri native that will be able to recruit the area as well as across the United States with all of his recruiting contacts. He has great knowledge of the game, relates well to young men, and is passionate about the complete development of each student-athlete that he coaches. Combined with his morals, his extreme love for his family and friends, and his enthusiasm for being a great role model, I predict great things for Preston and the Missouri Baptist men’s basketball team.” – Cinco Boone, Head Coach at Angelo State University (NCAA D2)
“I can tell you three things that stand out to me: his ability to communicate, motivate and teach. He has a great understanding of basketball and life and has a gift for communicating to student-athletes why they’re doing what they’re doing. From a mentoring standpoint, when you have players that you’ve coached who want you to be a part of their weddings and graduations, that speaks for itself. He knows the game, not only the X’s and O’s, but also how to make adjustments.” – Rodney Perry, Former Head Coach at Avila University (NAIA)
“Preston was someone who fit what we were all about. He is a very sound coach, understands the game and taught me things that I took for granted, especially on the defensive end. He is so well connected and was extremely good at developing relationships. Whoever he is around, they are 100% behind him – the student-athletes, University, the coaching staff, the administration.” – Kevin Muff, Former Head Coach at Pittsburg State University (NCAA D2)
“Our job as men and coaches is to develop student-athletes in all aspects – academics, athletics, spiritually, socially – and I think Evangel had a great influence on Preston. He’s a competitor and brings a different level of intensity to the game.” – Steve Jenkins, NAIA Hall of Famer & Head Coach at Evangel University (NAIA)
“I’ve known Preston for a long time and he is a young man that I have a tremendous appreciation for how he’s come up in the business. He’s a grinder and has been a part of several successful programs and that has paid dividends. He has a knack for getting kids to be their best and that will carry over at the next level as a head coach.” – Brad Underwood, Head Coach at University of Illinois (NCAA D1)
“Coach Ingram is a tough and competitive guy and I know his teams will embrace & embody that same mentality. He will get them to play together and they will play hard. Missouri Baptist fans will enjoy watching his teams play!” – Brett Ballard, Head Coach at Washburn University (NCAA D2)
