Bill Gentry

To New Mexico high school football fans, Bill Gentry is the dean of prep coaches. He spent 30 years (1959-89) as head coach at Highland High in Albuquerque, winning three state titles. Gentry was also head coach at Eldorado High School.

Perhaps the highest honors for the Slaton, Texas, native are his 1987 induction into the Albuquerque Sports Hall of Fame and his 1994 selection by the National High School Coaches Association as Coach of the Year. He was also inducted into the New Mexico Coaches Hall of Honor in 1988.

Gentry received accolades from the National Federation Interscholastic Coaches Association as well: Distinguished Service Award in 1987 and Outstanding Coach Award in 1988.

Gentry received his bachelor’s degree in 1951 and a master’s in 1957, both from UNM. He was a guard and tackle for head coach Dudley DeGroot’s Lobo teams.