Ace Hunt
GoSycamores.com
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Royce Waltman, head coach of the Indiana State basketball program from 1997-2007, has passed away in Indianapolis after battling a lengthy illness with the same determination he displayed with the Sycamores and at other stops along his storied coaching career.
Coach Waltman's family will hold a visitation at St. Luke's Memorial Church (100 W. 86th Street in Indianapolis) on Saturday, April 12 from 2-4 p.m. (ET). A memorial service will follow the visitation. The public is invited to pay their respects to coach Waltman and his family.
Waltman recorded 124 victories as head coach of the Sycamores and is still the only coach in school history with more victories and seasons coached other than Duane Klueh with 182 wins in 12 seasons. He was known for hiring talented young assistant coaches who have gone on to lead their own programs successfully. Among those are current Indiana State head coach Greg Lansing, Clemson head coach Brad Brownell, Mississippi State head coach Rick Ray and Kansas City head coach Kareem Richardson.
"Simply put, Coach Waltman basically saved me twice ... no one has ever done more for another person in a this crazy profession," coach Lansing commented. "He's the most intelligent guy I've ever been around on and off the floor. His intensity is unmatched. He did so much for so many of us on and off the court, touched so many lives. There has never been a tougher, more competitive guy in my opinion. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Carole and the family. Anyone that knew Coach knows how much he loved naps, he can now rest in peace in the ultimate one. We lost one of the best there ever was."
Under Waltman's guidance, the Sycamores ended a 17-year span without a winning season and returned Indiana State to the NCAA Tournament in both 2000 and 2001. In fact, he was the architect of a four-year span of winning seasons from 1997-2001 which was the longest such streak of success for the program since the late 1970's.
His led the Sycamores to the 2000 Missouri Valley Conference Regular Season Championship and an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament in 2000, the school's first appearance in the Big Dance since Larry Bird and the 1979 ISU team reached the NCAA Final. In 2001, Waltman's Sycamores won the MVC Tournament for just the second time in the history of the program to earn his second NCAA Tournament appearance. Once on college basketball's biggest stage, the Sycamores defeated No. 13 Oklahoma in the first round in Memphis.
Prior to his time in Terre Haute, he was a head coach at the University of Indianapolis and DePauw and returned to Indianapolis following his time at the helm of the Sycamore program. Additionally, Waltman spent many seasons as an assistant coach for Bobby Knight at Indiana University, including the 1987 campaign which saw the Hoosiers win the national championship.
Most recently, Waltman served as the color analyst for the Indiana University Basketball radio broadcasts until he took a leave of absence in December of 2013.
Waltman is survived by his wife, Carole, their children Suzanne and Kevin as well as several grandchildren.
