Accomplished basketball coach McKenzie to speak at commencement May 6 

April 20, 2023 - A renowned Minneapolis boys basketball coach who in 2014 became the first African American coach selected for the Minnesota Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame will be the keynote speaker at the Saturday, May 6, commencement ceremonies at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. 

Larry McKenzie, a UW-River Falls alum, will address graduates at two commencement ceremonies in Knowles Field House in the Falcon Center. A total of 749 students are scheduled to graduate. Of those, 652 will receive bachelor’s degrees, 84 master’s degrees and 13 associate degrees. The ceremony for the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences and the College of Business and Economics and Graduate Studies is at 9 a.m.; the College of Arts and Sciences and College of Education and Professional Studies ceremony is at 1 p.m.

McKenzie is well known for his success as a basketball coach. He coached two Minneapolis high school teams to six state championships in 10 tournament appearances, making him the first boys basketball coach in league history to lead two schools to multiple championships. His career record is 481-167.  

In addition to his success as a basketball coach, McKenzie is well known for his passionate leadership in the Minneapolis community. He is a certified national speaker and has served on numerous community boards in the nonprofit sector. He and his wife co-founded the Above the Rim Youth Sports Foundation that provides opportunities for young people. 

“Our goal is to develop a foundation for a championship program and use basketball as a tool to empower young men to be champions in the classroom, in their families, and their communities. Our desire is to develop the ‘whole person,’ not just young men who can jump high and score,” a statement on the foundation’s website reads. 

UW-River Falls Chancellor Maria Gallo said McKenzie’s longtime record of success and his ability to connect with students make him an excellent choice to address this year’s graduating class. His story is one of resilience and he is truly inspiring, she said.

“Coach Larry offers our students an example of someone from UWRF who has made and continues to make a positive difference in his community,” Gallo said.

In 2019, McKenzie received a Living Legend Award from the NCAA and the NABC Guardian of the Game award. He was most recently inducted in the Minnesota Basketball Hall of Fame and Minnesota State High School Hall of Fame.

In 2021, McKenzie was inducted into the UW-River Falls Athletic Hall of Fame as a positive contributor to Falcon Athletics and the university. McKenzie earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from UW-River Falls in 1980.

Commencement ceremonies will also be available via livestream. For more information, visit https://www.uwrf.edu/commencement/.