KALAMAZOO, Mich. – As part of Black History Month, the Western Michigan University Athletic department honors former Western Michigan men's basketball head coach Vernon Payne, the first African American head coach at Western Michigan.
Payne was the first African American head coach at Western Michigan and coached the men's basketball team from 1982 to 1988. During his seven years as head coach Payne won 69 games with 39 Mid-American Conference victories. Payne guided the Broncos to five straight 12-win seasons and at least six MAC victories in five of his seven years.
After basketball Payne stayed in Kalamazoo and worked for 39 years at the University level before retiring this past month as the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs.