Three Rivers College is set to pay homage to former athletes with its inaugural Raider of the Year Award.
The Raider of the Year Award is for a former Raider athlete who has achieved success beyond their sport and time at Three Rivers. Nominees remain involved in athletics in their respective careers or volunteer efforts and are well-respected amongst their peers and communities.
This year’s inaugural winner is South Iron High School boys’ basketball coach Dusty Dinkins, who will be honored at the 2024 Alumni Reunion on Feb. 24 at the Libla Family Sports Complex.
Dinkins is humbled by the selection and credits Three Rivers for having an amazing impact on his life.
“I am extremely excited and appreciative to be selected as the Raider of the Year,” Dinkins said. “Three Rivers College and the athletic department have positively impacted countless lives over many decades, and I am very thankful for being one of those who’ve greatly benefited from becoming a Raider.”
Dinkins attended and played basketball at Three Rivers from August 1994 through May 1997 and graduated with an associate of arts degree. He has coached boys’ basketball for the past 20 years at South Iron High School.
Dinkins and the Panthers are three-time defending Class 1 state champions and finished second in 2008. South Iron hasn’t lost more than five games in a season since 2018, and Dinkins entered the 2023-24 season with a 462-109 overall record.
Since 2003, South Iron has won the Arcadia Valley Thanksgiving Tournament 15 times, the Black River League regular season and conference tournament 16 times, the district tournament 10 times, and the Bob Sechrest Jr. Park Hills Christmas Tournament four times.
While adding Raider of the Year is one of his newest accolades, Dinkins has received recognition from many other organizations.
He was named the NFHS Midwest Basketball Coach of the Year in 2021 and is a three-time MBCA Class 1 Coach of the Year, four-time Big 3 Athletics Coach of the Year, seven-time KTJJ Regional Dream Team Coach of the Year, 10-time MBCA District Coach of the Year and 14-time Black River League Coach of the Year.
As a former player, Dinkins also wanted to acknowledge his head coach at TRC, Gene Bess, current TRC men’s basketball coach Brian Bess (who was an assistant when Dinkins played) and his teammates’ impact on him.
“They were an extremely important part of my life, and I will be forever grateful,” Dinkins said. “I just want to say thank you to my Raider family for the positive impact you have had upon your students’ and athletes’ past, present, and future lives.”
Dinkins will be recognized on Gene Bess Court at halftime at 7 p.m. on Feb. 24 for the men’s basketball game against Moberly Area. Fans are invited for a meet and greet from 7-9 p.m. in the booster room at the northwest corner of the Libla Family Sports Complex.
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