Lansing, MI, October 28, 2026 —

Michigan State University hosted a memorial service at Jenison Fieldhouse to honor Jim Bibbs, the university’s first Black head coach. Bibbs, a track and field coach who spent 27 years with the Spartans, died at age 97, according to the information provided.

The service recognized Bibbs’ role in the university’s athletics program and his place in its history as its first Black head coach. The information available identifies his sport, the length of his tenure and his age at death, but does not provide further details about his coaching record or the teams and athletes he worked with.

The date of the memorial service and the date of Bibbs’ death were not provided. No information was given about who spoke at the service, how many people attended, or whether the event was open to the public. The cause of death was also not specified.

Those details were not included in the summary of the event, so the circumstances surrounding the service and the response from the university community cannot be described further. The available information establishes that Michigan State held the memorial at Jenison Fieldhouse and that it was intended to honor Bibbs’ legacy as a coach and trailblazing leader at the university.

Bibbs’ 27-year tenure is the central measure of his time with the Spartans provided in the account. No start or end dates for that tenure were given, and no additional biographical details were supplied. The university’s memorial marked a tribute to a coach whose distinction as its first Black head coach and long association with the track and field program were highlighted in the announcement.


Story summarized from the original created by Ben Shockley on www.wilx.com, see more information here.

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