University of North Texas Athletics

After serving in the U.S. Marine Corp., the 24-year-old Pat Riley made an immediate impact as a freshman with the North Texas boxing team in 1950.

The slender 112-pound Riley captured one of the sport's most coveted titles by winning the national flyweight division Golden Gloves championship. In becoming the first Texan in five years to capture a national Golden Gloves title, Riley led North Texas to regional and district team titles that year. He won all six bouts en route to the national title by decision and claimed the national crown despite seriously injuring his left hand two weeks earlier in an opening-round match.