FLORENCE, Ala. (September 12, 2025) – On Friday, the University of North Alabama Board of Trustees approved the naming of Coach Gary Elliott Court inside CB&S Bank Arena, honoring one of the five coaches to bring an NCAA national championship to UNA.
Coach Elliott was a member of the UNA Athletics Department for 25 years, including coaching stints with the baseball, women's basketball, men's basketball and men's golf programs. He was inducted into the UNA Athletic Hall of Fame in 2003.
The court naming celebration will officially take place on Friday, Nov. 7 inside CB&S Bank Arena as the Lions host Lane College. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. More details on the ceremony will be released next month.
The court naming will take effect at the start of the 2025-26 basketball seasons.
A group of UNA Athletics and community supporters — led by Chuck and Marcia McCarty, Tommy and Jackie Darby, Ikey and Anah Fowler, H.L. and Judy Noah, Tony and Mayle Pujol, Jeff and Karen Stewart, Tim and Jennifer Taylor, Greg and Susan Thorton, and Scott and Jerica Whittle — initiated a significant commitment of private financial gifts to support this effort.
"Gary Elliott is one of the pillars of North Alabama Athletics, and this tribute could not have come at a better time," said UNA Director of Athletics, Dr. Josh Looney. "Coach Elliott poured into both our men's and women's basketball programs and, after retirement, chose to make Florence his home. As we reshape our athletics footprint along Pine Street, it's fitting to honor Coach Elliott alongside the fields named after Mike Lane and Bobby Wallace. We are thankful to the group that made this possible and are proud to see Coach Elliott's name on the court."
Elliott was instrumental in building the women's basketball program during his first four years at the school from 1979-83. He spent his first four years at North Alabama building the women's basketball program and led UNA to a 75-42 overall record that included two AAIAW Northern Division championships and an Alabama State championship in 1979.
In 15 seasons of leading the men's program from 1989-2003, he led the Lions to one NCAA Division II National Championship in 1991 and four NCAA Division II Tournaments. The Lions also hoisted two Gulf South Conference (GSC) championships and averaged 18 wins per season.
Elliot finished as the winningest men's basketball coach in school history with 270 wins.
"The foundation of our basketball program was built by the tremendous efforts of Coach Gary Elliott," said UNA head men's basketball coach Tony Pujol. "The values, the standard of excellence and the championship culture he created continues to show in our current success. His mentorship and friendship has impacted not only me personally, but generations of players, coaches and our entire department. There is no one more deserving of this honor than Coach Elliott."
The Lions won 20 or more games five times under Elliott, and advanced to the NCAA championships in 1991, 1994, 1995 and 1996. He was named the 1991 National Division II Coach of the Year by the National Association of Basketball Coaches and he also became the first coach in the history of the GSC to win 100 games in his first five seasons at a league school.
Elliott then became the UNA men's basketball assistant coach from 1983-88 and helped take the team to a 109-67 record that included a GSC championship, two GSC Tournament titles and two NCAA appearances. He also served as UNA's head baseball coach in 1979 and was head men's golf coach from 1980-88.
His 32 years in basketball coaching includes a 425-257 record as a head coach. He finished with a 270-150 record as UNA men's coach before his retirement following the 2002-03 season.
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