The Alumni Committee of the Sedalia School District Foundation has selected Kim Anderson as their‭ ‬2015‭ ‬Distinguished Alumni honoree.‭ ‬Kim graduated from Smith-Cotton High School in‭ ‬1973.‭ ‬He is described as a humble man of great character and integrity who continues to be proud of his roots as a small town Missouri boy by those who nominated him.‭ ‬He is passionate about working hard to become better at all his endeavors and passes that passion on to those he works with.

Kim Anderson was hired as the‭ ‬18th men’s basketball coach in Mizzou history on April‭ ‬28,‭ ‬2014.‭ ‬The two-time Mizzou graduate‭ (‬1979,‭ ‘‬81‭) ‬earned‭ ‬2014‭ ‬NABC National Coach of the Year honors after leading the University of Central Missouri to the‭ ‬2014‭ ‬NCAA Division II title.

Anderson has quickly gotten to work in Columbia with a vision for building a winning program centered on strong character on and off the court.‭ ‬The Tiger head coach’s‭ ‬2015-16‭ ‬squad will predominantly feature underclassmen who all represent crucial bricks in the program’s foundation.‭

Anderson spent‭ ‬12‭ ‬seasons in total at UCM and won nearly‭ ‬75‭ ‬percent of his games over a decade-plus worth of work.‭ ‬Anderson went‭ ‬274-95‭ (‬.743‭) ‬during that span and finished his career ranked among the Top‭ ‬10‭ ‬in career winning percentage all-time at the NCAA Division II level.‭ ‬In addition to his consistent winning approach,‭ ‬Anderson helped the Mules collect league and national hardware,‭ ‬winning or sharing six Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletics Association‭ (‬MIAA‭) ‬regular season conference titles and advancing to seven NCAA Tournaments.‭ ‬The Mules advanced to three Final Fours under his watch,‭ ‬reaching the national semifinals in‭ ‬2007‭ ‬and‭ ‬2009‭ ‬before defeating West Liberty,‭ ‬84-77,‭ ‬in the‭ ‬2014‭ ‬title game.

In addition to being one of the Top‭ ‬10‭ ‬winningest coaches in Division II history,‭ ‬Anderson resigned his spot in Warrensburg as the school’s all-time winningest coach.‭ ‬He led the Mules to three‭ ‬30-win seasons,‭ ‬the only‭ ‬30-win seasons in school history.‭ ‬He finished above‭ ‬.500‭ ‬his‭ ‬11‭ ‬finals seasons and won‭ ‬20‭ ‬games seven times in‭ ‬12‭ ‬years,‭ ‬finishing among the MIAA’s top three in the league standings nine times over his final‭ ‬10‭ ‬seasons.

Anderson spent‭ ‬11‭ ‬seasons on staff at Mizzou over two stints‭ (‬1982-85‭ ‬and‭ ‬1991-99‭) ‬and served six years as an assistant coach at Baylor‭ (‬1985-91‭) ‬under Gene Iba.‭ ‬Anderson was first a graduate assistant for Stewart from‭ ‬1982-85‭ ‬and helped the program to the‭ ‬1983‭ ‬Big Eight title,‭ ‬the program’s fourth straight,‭ ‬before taking his first full-time assistant coaching role with the Bears two years later.

In Waco,‭ ‬Texas,‭ ‬Anderson and Iba teamed to help Baylor to its first NCAA Tournament in‭ ‬38‭ ‬years in‭ ‬1988‭ ‬and returned to Missouri in a full-time capacity three seasons later,‭ ‬serving as an assistant coach for five more NCAA Tournament teams,‭ ‬including the‭ ‬1993-94‭ ‬squad that finished‭ ‬14-0‭ ‬in conference action and won the Big Eight Championship.‭ ‬That team earned a No.‭ ‬1‭ ‬seed in the‭ ‬1994‭ ‬NCAA Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight.

As a player,‭ ‬Anderson embodied what it means to be a student-athlete at Mizzou.‭ ‬He graduated from Missouri with degrees in education in‭ ‬1979‭ ‬and in‭ ‬1981‭ (‬Masters‭)‬.‭ ‬He was an Academic All-Big Eight selection in‭ ‬1975‭ ‬and‭ ‬1977.‭ ‬He helped Mizzou win its first Big Eight crown under the Hall of Famer Stewart in‭ ‬1976‭ ‬and was the Big Eight Player of the Year in‭ ‬1977,‭ ‬averaging‭ ‬18.3‭ ‬points and‭ ‬7.9‭ ‬rebounds per game as a senior.‭ ‬He finished his Tiger career with‭ ‬1,289‭ ‬points,‭ ‬currently No.‭ ‬24‭ ‬all-time in program history,‭ ‬and his final two seasons saw Mizzou win‭ ‬20‭ ‬games in back-to-back years for just the second time ever.

Anderson went on to be drafted in the second round of the‭ ‬1977‭ ‬NBA Draft by the Portland Trailblazers,‭ ‬playing‭ ‬21‭ ‬games for the late Dr.‭ ‬Jack Ramsey during the‭ ‬1978-79‭ ‬season.‭ ‬He later completed his professional playing career in Italy and France until returning to assist the Tigers in‭ ‬1982.

Anderson is a member of numerous Hall of Fames around the state of Missouri.‭ ‬He was inducted into the University of Missouri Athletics Hall of Fame in‭ ‬1999‭ ‬and the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in Springfield in‭ ‬2005‭ ‬as a student-athlete.‭ ‬He was later inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame for his coaching accomplishments in‭ ‬2012.‭ ‬In‭ ‬2006‭ ‬he was named to the Mizzou Basketball All-Century Team in a fan vote.‭ ‬Most recently,‭ ‬he was honored to the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association’s Hall of Fame in‭ ‬2015.

Prior to taking over the reins at Central Missouri,‭ ‬Anderson worked for three years at the Big‭ ‬12‭ ‬Conference,‭ ‬eventually serving as an assistant commissioner for the conference.‭ ‬He was the league liaison for men’s basketball and oversaw the officiating programs and the postseason tournament.‭ ‬Anderson and his wife of‭ ‬38‭ ‬years,‭ ‬Melissa,‭ ‬have two sons,‭ ‬Ryan,‭ ‬an Assistant Sports Information Director at North Dakota State and Brett,‭ ‬a‭ ‬2014‭ ‬Mizzou graduate and current men’s basketball graduate assistant.

Kim and Melissa are currently the hosts for the‭ ‬2105‭ ‬Tigers on the Prowl campaign.‭ ‬Tigers on the Prowl is a charitable organization with a mission to raise funds and awareness for not-for-profit groups in the Columbia,‭ ‬MO area.