Tim Abney Honored: Inducted into Missouri Sports Hall of Fame and North Carolina A&T Sports Hall of Fame

Lincoln University of Missouri’s Interim Athletic Director Tim Abney has been inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame and the North Carolina A&T Sports Hall of Fame.

Tim Abney, interim athletic director at Lincoln University of Missouri, has earned a rare dual distinction — being inducted into both the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame and the North Carolina A&T Sports Hall of Fame.

Abney was inducted into the North Carolina A&T Sports Hall of Fame earlier in September, and his Missouri Sports Hall of Fame enshrinement will take place on Sunday, Oct. 20 at the Holiday Inn Executive Center in Columbia, Missouri.

 "I am extremely humbled and honored to be joining the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, especially to be included in this group of outstanding athletes, coaches and teams," Tim Abney said.

 Among the other people being honored is the Elite 11, a group of former All-State athletes that includes former Lincoln quarterback Steve Bohlken. Both Abney and Bohlken were enshrined in the Lincoln Athletic Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2017. The complete list of the 2024 Missouri Sports Hall of Fame inductees and honorees can be found here.

The starting point guard during one of the most successful four-year stretches in the history of Lincoln basketball, Abney helped lead the Blue Tigers to four consecutive appearances in the NCAA tournament, including an Elite Eight berth in 1978. Abney played in 108 games, still the program record, and, with 1,152 points, is one of just 24 Blue Tigers to eclipse the 1,000-point plateau. 

Abney, who was named the 1974 Interscholastic League Player of the Year following his senior season at Kansas City's Central High School, led LU to MIAA regular season championships in 1975 and 1977 and made the MIAA All-Tournament team in 1978. He also earned first-team All-MIAA recognition that season after receiving second-team honors in 1977. Abney additionally was named first-team All-NABC District V during his senior season and was a two-time recipient of the MIAA Sportsmanship Award. 

Following his stellar playing career, Abney served as an assistant coach with the Blue Tigers in 1978-79, helping the program achieve a 17-9 record. Abney then followed his coach, Don Corbett, to North Carolina A&T, where he helped the program win six MEAC championships between 1979-1988. Abney later became the head women's basketball coach at North Carolina A&T, where he directed the program to the 1994 MEAC tournament title and the MEAC's first-ever automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship tournament. His exceptional coaching career also earned him a place in the North Carolina A&T Sports Hall of Fame earlier this year. He returned to Lincoln afterward to coach the Blue Tiger women's basketball team and was named the 2003 Heartland Conference Coach of the Year.

Since returning to his alma mater, Abney has served the Lincoln athletic department in a variety of capacities, including coaching the women's tennis team and guiding the Blue Tigers to a postseason appearance in 2012. Abney was elevated to the position of interim athletic director this past summer.