Bill Fennelly
Men's Basketball Student-Athlete
Central Missouri (1977-81)
Fennelly played for Mules Basketball from 1977-1981 and was a 1978-79 All-MIAA First Team Selection. In 1979-80, he was named the MIAA Most Valuable Player and was an All-MIAA First Team Selection. He earned his third All-MIAA First Team award in 1980-81.
Fennelly was a three-time All-American (1979: AP Honorable Mention All-American; 1980: NABC 2nd Team All-American; 1981: NABC 1st Team All-American). His No. 40 was the First Central Missouri Mules Basketball number to be retired.
Inducted into the UCM Athletic Hall of Fame in 1996. Fennelly is the most prolific scorer in Central Missouri and MIAA basketball history. Playing in a period (1977-81) that did not have the three-point shot, Fennelly scored 2,819 points (25.4 average) in his four-year career. That point total still stands as both the MIAA and the Mules’ career scoring record.
He also holds nine other UCM game, season or career records, including most points in a game -- 54. A graduate of Raytown South High School, he led the Mules in scoring all four years of his career. As a freshman, he averaged 19.7 points per game, improved to 29.7 points as a sophomore, led the nation as a junior with a 30.8 average and finished with a 21.4 average as a senior.
He scored in double figures in 106 of the 111 games he played, including a streak of 68 consecutive games in double figures. In addition to his scoring records, he also ranks ninth in career rebounding for the Mules. He had a career field goal percentage of 49.2 and a career free throw percentage of 80.4.