Jud Heathcote spent 20 years in East Lansing, winning 339 games.
The Michigan State athletic department will pay tribute to former coach Jud Heathcote in a variety of ways both in the near future and throughout the 2017-18 season. Heathcote passed away on Monday, August 28 at the age of 90.
The men’s basketball team will wear a patch honoring Coach Heathcote throughout the 2017-18 season. Final design will be unveiled at a later date.The Michigan State-Purdue men’s basketball game on Feb. 10 in East Lansing will be the Jud Heathcote Tribute Game. The date coincides with the annual former player reunion, allowing many of Coach Heathcote’s former players to be in attendance to honor their coach.
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“Jud might be gone, but he will live on as a part of our basketball program and our university as we dedicate the upcoming season to his memory,” said MSU head coach Tom Izzo. “Every time we take the court, the patches on the uniforms will remind us of the man who set a great foundation for anything we accomplish now. I can’t wait for that Tribute Game against Purdue. I look forward to seeing so many of his former players paying their respect to a man to whom they owe so much. I know that weekend will involve amazing stories, laughter and tears. Jud had some great battles against the Boilermakers, and I’m hopeful that Gene Keady, one of his closest friends in the profession, will be able to join us for that game.”
MSU Athletics is sad to announce that Jud Heathcote passed away Monday at the age of 90. pic.twitter.com/DHPW6aA5q0
— Spartan Basketball (@MSU_Basketball) August 29, 2017
Jud Heathcote’s memorial service is scheduled for Saturday, September 23, at 2:00 pm PDT at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 316 East 24th Avenue, Spokane, WA 99203. A reception will follow at Manito Country Club, 5303 South Hatch Road, Spokane, WA 99223. The service is open to the public. Coach Izzo, a longtime assistant under Coach Heathcote is among those planning to attend representing Michigan State.
A moment of silence was observed in honor of Coach Heathcote prior to the 2017 Michigan State football season opener against Bowling Green last Saturday.
