Alan LeForce, Class of 1957, grew up in Williamsburg, Kentucky receiving his formative education at Williamsburg Independent School where he graduated from high school in 1955 before pursuing his college degree at Cumberland College, now University of the Cumberlands.
LeForce began his successful coaching career at Williamsburg High School in 1958 and continued his run there through the 1967 season, taking one year off to serve as assistant coach at Cumberland College in 1961-62.
He served three years, 1968-71, as assistant coach at Furman University, then accepted the head coaching position at the College of Charleston in 1971. At Charleston, LeForce was Athletics Director for seven years in addition to his coaching reponsibilities.
His career included stops at Coastal Academy in Myrtle Beach where he led the boy's basketball team to two South Carolina Independent School State Championships and an imprssive 125-15 record. He coached one year at East Cooper High School in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina before serving as assistant coach at East Tennessee State University. Later, he was named head men's coach from 1990-96 where his teams earned two Southern Conference regular season co-championships, two Southern Conference Tournament titles, and two NCAA Tournament appearances.
Soon to begin his 12th season at Coastal Carolina University, LeForce is recognized and respected among his coaching peers in the Big South Conference.
Now in his 50th year of coahcing, LeForce has compiled a remarkable 383-318 overall coaching record. LeForce is the only head coach to accumulate 100 wins as a Division I men's and women's head coach and has 100 plus wins at the public high school level, private high school level and in the men's NAIA level.
Coaching honors:
1991-92 - District Coach of the Year (National Basketball Coaches Association)
1991-92 - Tennessee State Coach of the Year (Tennessee Sportswriter Association)
1998-99 - Big South Women's Coach of the Year
And several other high school coaching honors.
After receiving his letter of induction from the Cumberland Athletic Hall of Fame Committee, LeForce wrote, "I am blessed and honored to have been part of the University of the Cumberlands, and institution that truly cares about their students. Not only did I receive a quality education, I was taught high morals and the lesson that good people last forever."
LeForce is married to the former Shirley Smith, Class of 1956, also of Williamsburg, Kentucky. They have two children, Jeff and Michelle. Jeff and his wife, Joy, have four children: two daughters, Allie and Abigail, and two sons, Austin and Andrew. Michelle and her husband, David, have a daughter, Kathryn.
