COLUMBUS, Ohio — Rick VanMatre, a 1971 graduate of Meigs High School, was inducted into the Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame this past Saturday at the Columbus Airport Mariott Inn in Franklin County.

VanMatre — who amassed a 472-170 overall record in 28 seasons as head coach at Greenfield McClain High School — was one of four selections for the Class of 2012, joining Jack Van Reeth (844-259 career record and the only Ohio coach to ever win a boys and girls state championship), Tom Davis of East Canton, and Richard Kiser of Sardinia Eastern Brown.

VanMatre is a 1976 graduate of the University of Rio Grande, where he played baseball. VanMatre later worked as an assistant under former Gallia Academy coach Jim Osborne from 1977 through 1981 before taking over the Greenfield program in the 1981-82 campaign.

VanMatre — who retired from coaching in 2009 — had only one losing season in his 28 years with the Tigers while leading the program to 16 sectional titles, eight district titles and three regional finals. VanMatre twice had teams go unbeaten in the regular season, but he never coached in a state tournament. VanMatre was also the AP coach of the year in 1982 and 2007 for Division II.

VanMatre is the son of Ancill VanMatre and the late Norman VanMatre of Middleport, Ohio. VanMatre still resides in the Greenfield area with his wife, Kathy.