University of Toledo Athletics

Dr. John Rudley was a four-year starter (three on the varsity and one on the freshman team) and a key component of perhaps the greatest men's basketball team in Rocket history. A two-time co-captain at point guard, John helped to guide the 1966-67 team to a 23-2 record, a MAC Championship title and an NCAA Tournament appearance. He was the team's floor general and primary passer to big scorers like Steve Mix, John Brisker and Bob Miller. John helped the Rockets put up huge numbers on the scoreboard and likely would have had equally big assist numbers if that statistic would have been kept then. A solid scorer himself, John averaged 7.4 points and 3.9 rebounds as a sophomore, 12.0 points and 4.6 rebounds as a junior and 15.0 points and 4.8 rebounds as a senior captain. John grew up in Benton Harbor, Michigan, where he was a part of back-to-back high school state champion teams in 1964 and 1965. The 1965 team is considered by many observers to be one of the greatest prep teams in Michigan history. The Tigers went undefeated that year, winning their games by an average of 33 points, including a 26-point win over Southfield in the state title game. John received his bachelor's degree in business administration from Toledo, then went on to earn his master's degree and PhD in education administration from Tennessee State. He served as the president of Texas Southern University from 2008-16, and currently holds status as president emeritus and distinguished professor of business there. Previously, John served as interim chancellor and president at the University of Houston, as well as vice-chancellor for business and finance, also at Houston; vice-chancellor for business and finance for the University of Tennessee Board of Regents; vice-chancellor for administration and finance at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga; and vice president for fiscal affairs at Texas Southern. He worked for former Tennessee governor and Secretary of Education Lamar Alexander at the U.S. Dept. of Education from 1991 through 1992.