Dr. Robert (Bob) Maroney was born in Ben Franklin, Texas, on Oct. 3, 1935. Bob was a standout athlete at Annona High School where he graduated in 1953. He was recruited to play basketball at Austin College and was a member of the basketball squad from 1953-1957. He was named Most Valuable Player for 1956-57. In 1994, Bob was selected to the Austin College Athletic Hall of Honor.

Upon graduation from Austin College, Bob began his teaching and coaching career at Lipan High School in Lipan, Texas. He spent four years at Lipan (1957-1961) and took one of his teams to the State Tournament. Bob migrated to South Texas in 1961 to serve as assistant coach of the University of Corpus Christi Tarpon Basketball team under Head Coach Jess Richardson. After one season, he took over as the head coach of the Tarpons from 1962-1964. Additionally, Bob served as an assistant football coach during the 1963-1964 season.

Bob took a leave of absence to complete his doctorate at the University of North Texas in 1966. He was replaced as head coach by Ray Smith, who was a former teammate at Austin College.

Bob returned to the University Corpus Christi in 1968 and served as a member of the faculty, teaching education, statistics and recreation courses for nearly 50 years. During that time he also served as Director of Teacher Certification, Director of the Regent’s Initiative for Excellence in Education, Assistant Dean, Associate Dean and Interim Dean of the College of Education.

Bob was a member of the committee created to study the potential of bringing athletics back to campus in the mid 1990s. When it was decided to create an athletics program, he served on the selection committee to hire the first director of athletics in 1997.

During the second year of the return of athletics Bob was selected to serve as the Faculty Athletic Representative. He also chaired the Intercollegiate Athletics Council at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. At the national level, he served on the NCAA Faculty Athletics Representatives Association Executive Council.

Upon retirement in 2007, Dr. Maroney was named Professor Emeritus of the College of Education of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi by the Board of Regents of the Texas A&M University System. Bob now lives on the farm where he grew up in Boxelder, Texas. He maintains a vineyard and orchard. His family and friends enjoy his wine and jelly.

Bob is married to Judy Maroney. He has two children, Robin Maroney and Cindy Lawrence, two grandchildren he and Judy raised, Wayne and Neil, three additional grandchildren, Sara, Claire and Max, and one great granddaughter, Ella.