SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Former Warsaw Community High School basketball standout Kevin Ault will be inducted into the Missouri State University Athletics Hall of Fame next month. Ault, Indiana's Mr. Basketball in 1996 and WCHS's all-time leading scorer, is among seven that will be inducted on the weekend of Jan. 27-28 in Springfield, Mo. A four-year starter in the backcourt for Missouri State – which was known as Southwest Missouri State when he played there – Ault helped the Bears to a record of 85-47. Three times in his four years, the Bears reached the championship game of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. In 1997 and 2000, Ault helped the Bears earn a bid for the National Invitation Tournament. In 1999, the team made its deepest NCAA Tournament run in school history, as the Bears knocked off Wisconin and Tennessee, before falling to Duke in the Sweet 16. Ault holds career records at Missouri State for steals (243) and games played (132). He is ninth all-time in points (1,508), second in games won (85), third in three-point field goals (254) and third in free throw percentage (84.3). Ault played for coach Steve Alford for three years, while Barry Hinson was the head coach Ault's senior year. A three-year starter for the Warsaw Tigers and coach Al Rhodes, Ault scored a school-record 2,028 points. He scored 88 points as a freshman, and then poured in 1,940 points over his sophomore, junior and senior seasons. In his three years as a varsity starter, Ault led the Tigers to an overall record of 65-11 and a 17-1 record in the Northern Lakes Conference. In his last game for the Tigers, Ault scored 31 points in a state finals semifinal loss to New Albany. Ault's No. 42 has been retired by WCHS.
