Men's Basketball
- Title:
- Strength Coach
- Email:
- rakins@athletics.msstate.edu
In his second tour of duty at his alma mater after previously serving a 22-year stint at Mississippi State, Richard Akins owns the task of preparing the Bulldog basketball team for the day-to-day rigors of the Southeastern Conference hardwood wars as he enters his 34th season overall with the Bulldogs.
Akins, who also coordinates the strength and conditioning program for the Lady Bulldog basketball team, returned to MSU in 2005 after serving the prior two years as strength coach and assistant football coach at Heritage Academy in Columbus, Miss. In his first year at Heritage as coach of the squad’s defensive linemen, Akins helped lead the 2003 Patriots to the Class 2A runner-up honors in the Academy AA state championship game.
During his previous association with MSU’s strength and conditioning program, Akins accompanied the Bulldog basketball team to the 1996 NCAA Final Four and the NCAA Sweet Sixteen in 1995.
A native of Ethel, Miss., Akins first came to MSU in 1975 following a two-year football career at Holmes Junior College. Upon completion graduation in 1977, Akins entered the coaching profession at Grenada (Miss.) Junior High School. In 1979, he accepted a position on the football staff at Horn Lake (Miss.) High School. Four years later, Akins returned to his alma mater to begin a six-year stint as the supervisor of MSU’s McArthur Hall athletic dormitory.
Having also earned his master’s degree in physical education as well as completing a specialist’s degree in administration at MSU, Akins, 58, is married to the former Cindy Strider of Grenada, Miss. They are the parents of son, Ronnie, and daughter, Beth.
