
Truett McConnell University has launched a fundraising campaign to honor legendary women’s basketball coach Colby Tilley. The Cleveland-based university aims to raise at least $150,000 to establish an endowed scholarship fund for TMU Women’s Basketball and to officially rename the university’s competitive basketball court as Colby Tilley Court.
Tilley, inducted into the TMU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2018, led the Lady Bears from 1976 to 1985 to a 234-46 record (.836), five straight Georgia State Championships, multiple Region XVII titles, and the 1980 National Championship with a 36-2 season.
On Friday, February 13, 2026, TMU will host a celebration dinner before the next day’s final home women’s basketball game of the season. At this time, the TMU women’s basketball family will celebrate and honor Coach Tilley.
For more information on purchasing tickets to the event and how to donate to the campaign, click here or visit the Truett McConnell University website.
Tilley’s coaching career extended far beyond TMU. He started the women’s basketball program at Auburn University at Montgomery (218-74 record) and later became Kennesaw State University’s all-time winningest coach, amassing 290 wins over 17 seasons. He is a Hall of Fame inductee at TMU, AUM, and KSU.