LMC names Rickey Hampton, Ray Kimball as new men’s, women’s basketball coaches

Lake Michigan College has named former Aurora University assistant Rickey Hampton as the Red Hawks head men's basketball coach. Meanwhile, Ray Kimball, whose career includes stints at both Grand Rapids and Lansing Community Colleges, has been named the Red Hawks head women's basketball coach. 

"We are very excited to bring both Rickey and Ray into our Red Hawk family," LMC Athletic Director Melissa Grau said. "Rickey's experience coaching at the four-year level will help our young men excel on the court and in the classroom. And Ray has several years of experience and great knowledge of the game to help keep our women's program on a successful path." 

Hampton, a Saginaw native, spent last season as an assistant coach and head development coach at Aurora University in Aurora, Illinois. He spent the previous four seasons as an assistant coach and head junior varsity coach at Concordia University Chicago.  

"I'm beyond excited to come back to my home state and work with these student-athletes to be the best versions of themselves not only on the court but off the court as well," Hampton said. "The Lake Michigan College community has a culture that puts students first, and I can't wait to be a part of that." 

Hampton also coached at Grand Rapids Catholic Central High School, where his team won district titles in all four of his years there and played in the Michigan state championship in 2012. Additionally, he has coached AAU basketball with the Chicago Mustangs and Chicago Premier and coached with Down Under Sports in Brisbane, Australia. 

Collegiately, Hampton played one year of basketball at Lane College in Jackson, Tennessee. He earned a bachelor's degree in sports management at Concordia Chicago in 2018. 

Kimball, meanwhile, brings more than 30 years of coaching experience with him to LMC, including stints at Central Michigan University, Lansing Community College and Grand Rapids Community College, where he was named Michigan Community College Athletic Association (MCCAA) Western Conference Coach of the Year following the 2015-2016 women's basketball season. 

"I am excited and thankful for the opportunity to become the head women's basketball coach at Lake Michigan College," Kimball said. "I want to thank LMC Athletic Director Melissa Grau and the search committee for believing in me and affording me this opportunity." 

Most recently, Kimball served as athletic director at Cocoa Beach High School in Florida, but he is perhaps best known in Michigan for his time at Portland High School, where he built one of the most successful girls basketball programs in the state. During his tenure from 2004-2014, Kimball's Portland teams won nine league, six district, and three regional titles and reached the Michigan High School Athletic Association semifinals in 2008 and 2010. 

For information, visit www.lakemichigancollege.edu/athletics.