Tony Wallingford
Class of 1975
2016 Hall of Fame
Tony Wallingford
Tony Wallingford is a highly successful college basketball and golf coach. Over a span of 26 years
as a head men’s basketball coach, 5 years at Cincinnati Christian University and 21 years at Milligan College (TN),
his teams amassed a total of 558 wins (21.4 wins per season), 14 conference/regional titles, 8 national tournament
appearances, and 3 national championships. In 17 different seasons his teams achieved or exceeded the 20 win
plateau. He received Coach of the Year honors 9 times. Wallingford is the all-time winningest basketball coach at
Milligan College. He stepped away from basketball in 2009 ranked 9th nationally in winning percentage and 14th
nationally among active coaches in career wins. His Milligan and CCU teams established multiple school records
including most wins in a single season and highest
national ranking.
Wallingford’s achievements as the Milligan golf coach are just as impressive. His golf teams have captured 9 conference
championships, 5 regional titles, and made 5 national tournament appearances. Seven times he has earned coach of the year
honors. Wallingford is a Level III Certified Golf Teaching Professional. He is a member of the Milligan College Athletics Hall of
Fame.
Wallingford was a two-sport standout in basketball and baseball at GHS, earning all-conference in both sports. Twice he
was named the Clermont County League Player of the Year in basketball, and received All- Southwest Ohio recognition as a
senior. Wallingford went on to Washington and Jefferson College (PA), where he earned a total of 8 varsity letters in basketball
and baseball, receiving MVP honors in both sports and all-conference in baseball before graduating in 1979.
Upon graduation from W & J, Wallingford began his coaching career as an assistant men’s basketball coach at The University
of Akron. After a season with the Zips, Wallingford moved on to become an assistant basketball coach at West Virginia
Wesleyan College. Two years later in 1982, Wallingford accepted the head basketball coach and athletics director positions at
Cincinnati Christian University. After 5 highly successful seasons with the Golden Eagles, Wallingford was named the head
men’s basketball at Milligan College in Johnson City, TN. Wallingford coached basketball at Milligan from 1987-1994, and
1995-2009. He has also served as the Milligan golf coach for 23 years, a position he holds today. Wallingford also served as the
athletics director and boys’ basketball coach at Cincinnati Indian Hill H.S. for the 1994-95 school year.
Wallingford continues to impact the lives of the players he coaches. His players describe him as someone who takes an
interest in their lives, someone who truly cares about them, and someone who sets an example of excellence in life and in sport.
James Harris, former player and current basketball coach at Mariner H.S. in Cape Coral, FL wrote, "I certainly wouldn’t be where
I am today without (his) example of how to be a great coach, a man, and most importantly a Christian."
Wallingford holds a bachelor’s degree in political science with teacher certification in social studies from Washington and
Jefferson College (PA). He received his Master’s degree in Education/Secondary School Administration from the University of
Akron in 1981.
Wallingford is married to his wife of 35 years, Teresa (Jones) of Milford, OH. The Wallingford’s have three children, Sara
(Milligan, ’04) an English teacher in the Kingsport City (TN) School District, Don (Milligan ’05), an information technology
specialist for the accounting/wealth management firm of Blackburn, Childers and Steagall in Johnson City, TN, and Seth
(Carson-Newman, ’11), a music teacher in the Kingsport City (TN) School District.
Wallingford has been a popular speaker in the Northeast Tennessee region with school sports teams and camps, civic clubs
and organizations, as well as many FCA groups. He and his wife are active members at Poplar Ridge Christian Church, where
they have each taught Sunday school classes for 3rd-6th graders for many years. The Wallingford’s reside in Johnson City, TN.
Wallingford describes his parents, Don and Shirley Wallingford, as loving, caring, and encouraging, and notes that they have
had the greatest impact on his life and coaching career. He cites that he is grateful to his basketball coaches at Goshen,
B.J. Denison, Bill Schmidbauer, varsity coach and mentor Jim Wake, his baseball coach Tom Kittle, his band directors Nile Hayes
and Eldon Thomas, and teacher Bill Disque for being outstanding in so many ways and having a positive influence on his
experience at GHS, his education, and career.
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