STATEHOUSE (Feb. 5, 2026) – State Rep. Peggy Mayfield's (R-Martinsville) proposal to rename a stretch of State Road 45 near Assembly Hall on Indiana University's main campus in Bloomington after the late legendary basketball coach Robert "Bobby" Montgomery Knight recently passed the Senate and will now move forward.
"Coach Knight's impact on Indiana goes far beyond the basketball court," Mayfield said. "Renaming this roadway near Assembly Hall in his honor is a lasting tribute to his legacy, his commitment to excellence and the pride he brought to Hoosiers across the state."
Knight coached the Indiana University men's basketball team from 1971 to 2000, where he led the Hoosiers to three national championships, 11 Big Ten championships and one National Invitation Tournament title. Known as "The General," he ranks 14th on the all-time coaches list for victories and was named National Coach of the Year in 1975, '76, '87 and '89. He was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991.
A native of Ohio, Knight played basketball at Ohio State University, where he graduated with a degree in history and government. He then served his country honorably in the U.S. Army, where he would later coach the Black Knights basketball team, being named head coach at age 24. Knight then went to IU, where his name is still synonymous with Hoosier basketball.
Mayfield said that Knight's famed rivalry and friendship with Purdue men's basketball coach Gene Keady, his incredible career and prominent personality are some of the many reasons why in 49 other states it's just basketball — but this is Indiana.
Mayfield noted IU's 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship win made them the first school in modern sports history to hold undefeated championships in both football this season and men's basketball in the 1975-76 season under Coach Knight.
House Concurrent Resolution 4 passed out of the House and Senate unanimously. Once a renaming resolution passes through the Indiana General Assembly, the Indiana Department of Transportation can move forward with the project.
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State Rep. Peggy Mayfield (R-Martinsville) represents House District 60,
which includes portions of Johnson, Morgan and Monroe counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
