William John Gibson (December 18, 1927 â July 23, 1975) was an American basketball coach who was the head men's basketball coach at the University of Virginia and the University of South Florida.
Born in Donora, Pennsylvania, Gibson played basketball at Penn State University, graduating in 1952. After a four-year period of coaching high school basketball, he began his college head coaching career at Mansfield University of Pennsylvania in the 1956âÂÂ57 season. In seven seasons, Mansfield posted a 102âÂÂ37 winâÂÂloss record under Gibson, including a 57âÂÂ3 record over the final three seasons he coached at the school. In April 1963, Virginia named him its men's basketball coach; at the time, the Cavaliers were struggling to compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Virginia was 8âÂÂ16 in Gibson's first season as coach and did not win 10 games in a season until 1968âÂÂ69.
The Cavaliers lost in the ACC tournament's first round (the tenth consecutive season Virginia had exited the tournament at that stage), and Gibson faced a "revolt" at the hands of his own players. They petitioned against Gibson, and met with Virginia's athletic director, a group of faculty, and Gibson himself. The university retained Gibson following the meetings, and the players' complaints were not mentioned in Virginia's statement to the press, though the Associated Press said they were related to "Gibson's tactics and handling of players."
The Cavaliers went 10âÂÂ15 in 1969âÂÂ70, but the team showed signs of improvement in its closing games. After an upset win over Duke to close the regular season, Virginia defeated North Carolina in the ACC tournament for its first win in the event in 11 years. The Cavaliers had a 15âÂÂ11 record in 1970âÂÂ71, and at one point achieved a top 20 national ranking. The following season, Virginia won 18 of its first 19 games, including a stretch of 12 consecutive victories, and reached a peak of sixth in the Associated Press Poll. The team tied for second in the ACC with an 8âÂÂ4 record in conference play; it was the first time the Cavaliers had more wins than losses in ACC competition, and they were the first Virginia team to be in the top 20 of the Associated Press Poll at the end of the regular season. After the season, in which Virginia had an overall record of 21âÂÂ7, Gibson was selected as ACC Men's Basketball Coach of the Year.
In March 1974, he accepted an offer to coach at South Florida. Four months later, he had a heart attack and was hospitalized. Gibson recovered and his South Florida team had a 15âÂÂ10 record in 1974âÂÂ75. On July 23, 1975, he died of what was reported as a likely second heart attack.