Inductees

November 15, 1907—October 14, 1973

 

Volney Ashford attend and graduated from Marshall High School in 1927, Missouri Valley College in 1931, and the University of Missouri – Kansas City in 1949.

Volney returned to Missouri Valley College in 1937 as Chairman of the Department of Physical Education and Head Football Coach from 1937 to 1971, moving into the Vice-President of Development position in 1971.

Coach Ashford received national fame when his Missouri Valley College Vikings football teams established one of the longest winning streaks in modern football, 41 games.

During the 1947 season the Ashford led Vikings won unanimous national acclaim as the number one small college team in the country. Coach Ashford’s lifetime career coaching record of 197-55-12 rank him as one of the top ten coaches in the nation, and he is the only man to coach national competitors in five different  intercollegiate sports.

Coach Ashford’s career accomplishments read as follows: helped found the Fellowships of Christian Athlete’s, named Little All-American Coach of the Year in 1950, two time recipient of the NAIA Award of Merit, 1958 NAIA Football Coach of the Year, selected to the Helms Foundation Coaches Hall of Fame in 1959, received the coveted Rockne Award for contributions to athletics, and was inducted into the Helms Foundation National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics Hall of Fame in 1972. Ashford was also inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2009.