Coach John McDonnell Retires

April 21, 2008 · By Dustin · 0 Comments

Arguably the best coach to coach anything ever retired today after kicking the collective butt of everyone in the Southwest Conference, Southeastern Conference, and the whole NCAA for 36 years as the University of Arkansas’ track and field coach.

Here are just a few highlights from the career of one of the best coaches that has ever worn a whistle around his neck.

42 National Championships
83 Conference Titles
5 National Triple Crowns (Indoor, Outdoor, and Cross Country titles in the same year)
34 Consecutive Cross Country Conference Titles
National, Regional, or Conference Coach of the Year a Total of 140 Times
Won at least one National Championship in 22 of the last 25 years

And those are just the highlights. 140 Coach of the year awards? 42 national championships? Remember when Pat Riley tried to trademark the term “three peat,” as though that is some kind of big deal? Hey Mr. Riley. Call me when you’ve won your twentieth championship, dude. And then, call me again when you get close to 30. I won’t hold my breath that you’ll make it to ten.

Never in the history of sports has there been someone who has dominated the way coach McDonnell has.

We didn’t really envy Arkansas Atheletic Director Jeff Long who had to try to honor Coach McDonnell today.

“It is hard to imagine that any coach in intercollegiate athletics has had more influence on a program than John McDonnell has had on the men’s track and field program at the University of Arkansas,”

Um…yeah.

We understand Mr. Long’s problem. How do you honor someone who has meant that much to a program, to a state, and to a university? How do you put into words the respect and accolades that someone who has contributed as much as Coach McDonnell has contributed to the University of Arkansas deserves?

Chancellor John White did a little better than Jeff Long.

“It would be easy to define John McDonnell’s legacy at the University of Arkansas with a seemingly endless list of accomplishments, championships and awards won, but that would only begin to define his legacy,” White says. “In 36 years as a coach at Arkansas, Coach McDonnell has embodied all that is right with intercollegiate athletics. His unwavering commitment to mentoring and developing thousands of young men in the classroom, in intercollegiate athletic competition and in life has been his most prized contribution. The success of Coach McDonnell and the Razorback Track and Field program has been and remains a source of pride for Razorback fans, the University and the entire state.”

Coach McDonnell, who is 69 years old, cited wanting to spend more time with his family as a reason for retiring.

“While they’re still around, while I’m still around, I want to spend a little bit more time with them,” he said.

We say you’ve earned it. Thanks, Coach McDonnell for making Arkansas proud, over, and over, and (42 times) over again.

We hope they name the damn university after you.