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Rick Owens, an assistant basketball coach at Monroe Central, passed away Saturday. He was 79.
Ricky "Rex" Owens was born Dec. 8, 1945, in Winchester. He attended Union (Modoc) High School where he was a star basketball player. He graduated in 1964 as Randolph County's all-time career scoring leader with 1,464 points — a record that still stands as Union's all-time scoring leader. He also played baseball and ran track and cross country.
Upon graduation, Owens earned a basketball scholarship from Ball State and played one season on the freshman team. He was set to transfer to William Penn University in Iowa but instead enlisted in the Navy, where he served for four years. During his time in the Navy, Owens continued playing basketball and added softball and volleyball to his repertoire.
After his time in the Navy, Owens served as an IHSAA official for 33 years. In 2019, he was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame as a Men's Center Circle Officials Award winner. His officiating career included 28 sectionals, 19 regionals, seven semi-states and three state championships (1991, 1995, 1999). He also served as president and vice president of the Eastern Indiana Officials Association.
Owens joined the coaching ranks after his retirement from officiating. He became an assistant coach for the girls basketball team at Union before taking over as the head coach from 2000-04. After that, he spent six years as a boys basketball assistant at Winchester Community High School, eventually taking over as head coach from 2010-14. He led the Golden Falcons to their most recent sectional championship in 2011.
Upon resigning from Winchester in 2014, Owens joined Monroe Central as an assistant to head coach Justin Ullom. Owens remained with the Golden Bears after Ullom took the job at Muncie Central and helped them win their second regional title in school history this season.
"Rick always kept the players loose and with a smile on their faces. He was able to keep the mood light yet serious and focused at the same time. Rick was a very loyal friend and assistant coach. The game of basketball gave Coach O a lot as a player, official and coach. However, I'm confident that Coach O gave back more to those he coached and coached with. He was a great coach, mentor, and friend. We will all miss him very much," Ullom said via text.
Owens was preceded in death by his father, Homer Owens Jr., and his first wife, Margie Owens.
Owens is survived by his mother, Julia Owens; wife of 25 years, Nickie Owens (Bosworth); sister, Becky Krueger; five children, Owen Ogden, Tammy Roark, Laura Lambert, Jeri Sue Owens and Dawn Harmon; two stepchildren, Scott Longnecker and Angie Wright; 12 grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. Owens will also be remembered by a host of former players and fellow coaches.
Details for a memorial service have not yet been determined.
Contact Cade Hampton via email at [email protected] or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @CadeHamp10.
This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Monroe Central boys basketball assistant coach Rick Owens dies at 79
Continue reading...
Ricky "Rex" Owens was born Dec. 8, 1945, in Winchester. He attended Union (Modoc) High School where he was a star basketball player. He graduated in 1964 as Randolph County's all-time career scoring leader with 1,464 points — a record that still stands as Union's all-time scoring leader. He also played baseball and ran track and cross country.
Upon graduation, Owens earned a basketball scholarship from Ball State and played one season on the freshman team. He was set to transfer to William Penn University in Iowa but instead enlisted in the Navy, where he served for four years. During his time in the Navy, Owens continued playing basketball and added softball and volleyball to his repertoire.
After his time in the Navy, Owens served as an IHSAA official for 33 years. In 2019, he was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame as a Men's Center Circle Officials Award winner. His officiating career included 28 sectionals, 19 regionals, seven semi-states and three state championships (1991, 1995, 1999). He also served as president and vice president of the Eastern Indiana Officials Association.
Owens joined the coaching ranks after his retirement from officiating. He became an assistant coach for the girls basketball team at Union before taking over as the head coach from 2000-04. After that, he spent six years as a boys basketball assistant at Winchester Community High School, eventually taking over as head coach from 2010-14. He led the Golden Falcons to their most recent sectional championship in 2011.
Upon resigning from Winchester in 2014, Owens joined Monroe Central as an assistant to head coach Justin Ullom. Owens remained with the Golden Bears after Ullom took the job at Muncie Central and helped them win their second regional title in school history this season.
"Rick always kept the players loose and with a smile on their faces. He was able to keep the mood light yet serious and focused at the same time. Rick was a very loyal friend and assistant coach. The game of basketball gave Coach O a lot as a player, official and coach. However, I'm confident that Coach O gave back more to those he coached and coached with. He was a great coach, mentor, and friend. We will all miss him very much," Ullom said via text.
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Owens was preceded in death by his father, Homer Owens Jr., and his first wife, Margie Owens.
Owens is survived by his mother, Julia Owens; wife of 25 years, Nickie Owens (Bosworth); sister, Becky Krueger; five children, Owen Ogden, Tammy Roark, Laura Lambert, Jeri Sue Owens and Dawn Harmon; two stepchildren, Scott Longnecker and Angie Wright; 12 grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. Owens will also be remembered by a host of former players and fellow coaches.
Details for a memorial service have not yet been determined.
Contact Cade Hampton via email at [email protected] or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @CadeHamp10.
This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Monroe Central boys basketball assistant coach Rick Owens dies at 79
Continue reading...
