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University of Central Missouri Athletics

Hall of Fame

Gordon * McFarland

  • Class
  • Induction
    2001
  • Sport(s)
    Mules Basketball
Gordon McFarland
Mules Basketball, 1959-63
McFarland teamed with inaugural Hall of Fame inductee Bud Vallino to give the Mules a potent scoring duo in the early 1960s. A graduate of Troy (Ill.) High School, he played his first two seasons at Central Missouri under Coach Earl Keth, averaging 12.6 points as a freshman and 14.2 points as a sophomore. He played his final two seasons under coach Gene Bartow.

As a junior, he averaged 20.8 points per game and was a first-team all-MIAA selection, as the Mules were 16-6. His 42-point performance against the University of Missouri-Rolla that season established what was then the Mules' single-game scoring record until Vallino broke it two seasons later with a 48-point effort.

As a senior, McFarland averaged 19.6 points per game, helped lead the Mules to a 17-6 record and was a second-team all-MIAA selection. He finished his four-year career with 1,262 points and a 17.8 career scoring average. His career point total ranks ninth in CMSU history. He also played on the Mules' baseball team.

Following his graduation, he coached for two years at Jacksonville (Ill.) High School, then returned to CMSU for his master's degree, during which time he served as a graduate assistant coach for the basketball team. After receiving his master's degree, he returned to Illinois and was a teacher and coach for 31 years before retiring in 1994.


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