Rick Ray Named Head Coach at Southeast Missouri State

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (WCBI) — It’s a new home in a familiar area for Rick Ray.

Former Mississippi State men’s basketball head coach Rick Ray has surfaced in Missouri to be the new head coach at Southeast Missouri State the school’s athletic director announced on Monday.

(AP Photo/James Crisp)

Ray spent three years at Mississippi State, compiling an overall record of 37 wins and 60 losses. Ray went 13-41 in SEC play during his time with the Bulldogs. He was fired on March 21st and MSU hired Ben Howland just three days later.

Southeast Missouri State will pay Ray a base salary of $175,000 over a four year span according to the Clarion-Ledger’s Mike Bonner. The former MSU head coach earned $1 million per year when he was in Starkville. He is still owed some of his final two years on his contract with the Bulldogs.

Ray knows the Midwest area well: after growing up in California, Ray and his family moved to Kansas City when he was six. He played basketball at Grand View College in Iowa.

In an interview with the Southeast Missourian, Ray told Rachel Crader that he wants to prove himself and he didn’t get to finish the job at Mississippi State.

The Redhawks of Southeast Missouri State haven’t made the NCAA Tournament since 2000. They play in the Ohio Valley Conference, which has been dominated by Belmont and Murray State in recent years.