Ricky Byrdsong

Age: 43

Summary: former head basketball coach at Northwestern University who took the Wildcats to their second postseason appearance in school history after the 1993-1994 season and also compiled 87-165 record as a head coach, including 34-78 in four seasons with Northwestern, but who had fired with seven games left in the 1996-1997 season and was remembered for leaving the bench during a game in Minnesota during the 1993-1994 season and climbing up into stands to chat with fans and exchange high-fives before taking a seat in the aisle (two members of his 1994-1995 team were later convicted in a point-shaving scandal), who had also played at Iowa State University before he began his coaching career there as an assistant and had coaching stints at Arizona, Eastern Illinois, Western Michigan and Detroit Mercy.

Cause of Death: Gunshot wounds he received during a violent racist attack

Born: June 24, 1956

Died: July 3, 1999

Location: Skokie, Illinois