Ed Messbarger, who had most of 630 career wins at pair of small Texas colleges, dead at 81

SAN ANGELO, Texas – Ed Messbarger, who won 630 games in a 41-year college coaching career spent mostly at St. Mary's and Angelo State in Texas, has died. He was 81.

Angelo State athletic director Sean Johnson said Messbarger died Monday at home.

Messbarger was 279-139 in 15 seasons at St. Mary's in San Antonio and took the Rattlers to the NAIA tournament four times, including consecutive trips to the semifinals in 1974 and 1975. One of his former players was Robert Reid, who had a 13-year NBA career.

Angelo State went to the NCAA Division II tournament twice in 20 seasons under Messbarger, who was 267-286 with the Rams before retiring in 1998.

Messbarger, who grew up in Missouri, also coached at Benedictine Heights College in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the University of Dallas.