Ray Pryear (1984) - Hall of Fame - University of Akron Athletics

Ray Pryear

Induction:
1984
Class:
1959

1955-59
Basketball
‘59
In 1958-59, Russ Beichly’s last year as UA’s head coach, the Zip cagers compiled a 21-2 record—the best in Ohio and good enough for fifth in the final Associated Press national ranking. Four players off that team were named first-team All-Ohio Conference. Three of those players, Bob Whaley, Climon Lee and Fred Golding, have already been inducted into the Hall of Fame. For Pryear, that 1958-59 season closed out an exceptionally fine four-year career as a starter and letterman in the UA blue and gold. In earning the Zips’ most valuable player award, he averaged 14 points and 14.6 rebounds and had career highs of 26 points versus Marietta and 24 rebounds against Baldwin-Wallace. It brought his career totals to 1,152 points good enough for then fifth on the all-time list, and 1201 rebounds, for second place on the all-time list, in 91 games, During his career, this 6-6 cager from Copley, helped UA compile winning records all four seasons. The 1957-58 team captured the Ohio Conference championship and earned the school’s first NCAA post-season bid, the ’58-59 squad had 21 consecutive wins—most ever in a single season, and overall UA captured 49 of 53 games played in Memorial Hall. Pryear, who resides in Akron, was employed at Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company.