Frosty Cox

Forrest B. "Frosty" Cox (January 22, 1908 – May 22, 1962) was an American college basketball coach. He was the head basketball coach at the University of Colorado Boulder from 1936 to 1950 and the University of Montana from 1955 to 1962, compiling a career record of 227–174.

Frosty Cox

Biographical details
Born	(1908-01-22)January 22, 1908 Orlando, Oklahoma, U.S.
Died	May 22, 1962(1962-05-22) (aged 54) Missoula, Montana, U.S.
Playing career
Basketball
1928–1931	Kansas
Football
1928–1930	Kansas
Position(s)	Guard (basketball) Halfback (football)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Basketball
1931–1936	Kansas (freshmen)
1936–1950	Colorado
1955–1962	Montana
Football
1931–1935	Kansas (assistant)
1936–1939	Colorado (backfield)
Head coaching record
Overall	227–174
Tournaments	2–4 (NCAA) 3–1 (NIT)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
NIT (1940) 5 MSC regular season(1937–1940, 1942)
Awards
Basketball First-team All-American – Christy Walsh (1930) 2× First-team All-Big Six (1930, 1931) Football Second-team All-Big Six (1930)

Biography

Cox was a member Newton High School's 1926 state championship basketball team. They were invited to a national interscholastic tournament, but were eliminated in the quarterfinals by the Dutch Clark-led Central High School team from Pueblo, Colorado.^[1]

Cox played football and basketball at the University of Kansas from 1928 to 1931. He was captain of the 1928–29 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team.^[2] He was named to the 1930 All-Big Six Conference football team and Knute Rockne's 1930 College Basketball All-American team. He graduated in 1931, but remained with the university as an assistant coach.^[1][3]

In 1935, Cox became the head men's basketball coach at the University of Colorado Boulder. He also served as the head of intramural athletics and an assistant football coach.^[1] He was the position coach for Byron "Whizzer" White, during his All-American season in 1937.^[4] Cox led the Colorado Buffaloes men's basketball team a 147–89 record, fiveMountain States Conference championships, three NCAA Tournaments, and two National Invitation Tournament, including the 1942 NCAA Final Four and the 1940 NIT title. The Buffaloes also received an invitation to the 1939 NCAA basketball tournament, but had to decline due to a flu outbreak.^[3] He resigned after the 1949–50 season to join his brother-in-law in the ranching business in Wakefield, Kansas.^[5] In 1954, he was elected president of the Lower Republican Valley Development Association.^[6]

In 1955, Cox returned to coaching at the University of Montana (then known as Montana State University).^[3] He had an overall record of 80–85 at MSU. He was not retained after the 1961–62 season due to a disagreement with the university's decision to deemphasize athletics and recruiting. On May 22, 1962, he suffered a fatal heart attack while undergoing treatment in a Missoula, Montana hospital.^[7]

Head coaching record

Statistics overview

Season	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Postseason
Colorado Buffaloes (Mountain States Conference) (1935–1942)
1935–36	Colorado	6–8	6–8	6th
1936–37	Colorado	14–6	10–2	T–1st
1937–38	Colorado	15–6	10–2	T–1st	NIT Runner-up
1938–39	Colorado	14–4	10–2	1st
1939–40	Colorado	17–4	11–1	1st	NCAA Regional Fourth Place, NIT Champion
1940–41	Colorado	10–6	7–5	3rd
1941–42	Colorado	16–2	11–1	1st	NCAA Final Four
Colorado Buffaloes (Mountain States Conference) (1944–1947)
1944–45	Colorado	13–3	9–1	2nd
1945–46	Colorado	12–6	9–3	2nd	NCAA Regional Regional Third Place
1946–47	Colorado	7–11	5–7	5th
Colorado Buffaloes (Big Seven Conference) (1947–1950)
1947–48	Colorado	7–14	4–8	T–6th
1948–49	Colorado	6–12	4–8	5th
1949–50	Colorado	14–8	6–6	4th
Colorado:		147–89 (.623)	102–54 (.654)
Montana Grizzlies (Mountain States Conference) (1955–1962)
1955–56	Montana	14–12	4–10	8th
1956–57	Montana	13–9	9–5	3rd
1957–58	Montana	12–10	8–6	T–5th
1958–59	Montana	10–14	7–7	5th
1959–60	Montana	7–17	3–11	T–6th
1960–61	Montana	14–9	7–7	4th
1961–62	Montana	10–14	5–9	T–4th
Montana:		80–85 (.485)	43–55 (.439)
Total:		227–174 (.566)
National champion         Postseason invitational champion         Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion       Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion       Conference tournament champion

See also

• List of NCAA Division I Men's Final Four appearances by coach