| Mel Hankinson | |
| Birth Date: | 10 January 1943 |
| Player Years1: | 1961–1965 |
| Player Team1: | Indiana State (PA) |
| Player Positions: | Guard |
| Coach Years1: | 1970–1973 |
| Coach Team1: | Slippery Rock |
| Coach Years2: | 1973–1977 |
| Coach Team2: | Roanoke |
| Coach Years3: | 1977–1983 |
| Coach Team3: | Delta State |
| Coach Years4: | 1985–1987 |
| Coach Team4: | Samford |
| Coach Years5: | 1988–1993 |
| Coach Team5: | The Master's |
| Coach Years6: | 1993–1998 |
| Coach Team6: | West Virginia (assistant) |
| Coach Years7: | 1998–2002 |
| Coach Team7: | Liberty |
| Overall Record: | 361–353 |
| Tournament Record: | 3–2 (NAIA) 1–1 (NCAA Division II) |
| Championships: | Mason–Dixon (1974) PSAC Western Division (1972) |
Mel Hankinson (born January 10, 1943) is an American former basketball coach and author. He served as the head men's basketball coach at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania (1970–1973), Roanoke College (1973–1977), Delta State University (1977–1983), Samford University (1985–1987), The Master's College—now known as The Master's University (1988–1993), and Liberty University (1998–2002). Hankinson has written a number of books and starred in videos on techniques for coaching basketball.
Hankinson spent over three decades coaching at the collegiate level. He came to his highest profile position as head coach on April 8, 1998 at Liberty University after three years as the top assistant at West Virginia University.[1]
Hankinson began his collegiate career as a head coach at Slippery Rock University, where he spent three seasons highlighted by capturing the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division title in 1972. For that season he was named NAIA District 18 Coach of the Year.[2] Then the following year, Hankinson led the Rockets to the NAIA National Semifinals where the school recorded a fourth-place finish. He holds a master's degree from Indiana State University[3]
Hankinson was a star player at Indiana State College—now known as Indiana University of Pennsylvania. The 59 points he scored on February 26, 1965 against Parsons still stands as a school and Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference record today.[4]