42 national titles later, Arkansas track coach retires

[dixiehack]

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jz2gKntsxRfVP_YeccLcLaSfdZugD9079KHO0

Arkansas track coach to retire after 36 years, 42 titles
59 minutes ago

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas track and field coach John McDonnell, who has led the Razorbacks to 42 national titles and 83 conference crowns, will retire at the end of the outdoor season, the school announced Monday.

The 69-year-old McDonnell has won more national championships than any other collegiate coach in a single-gender program.

"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," athletic director Jeff Long said. "It is impossible to quantify Coach McDonnell's contributions as a coach, educator and mentor. The recognition and pride he has brought to the University of Arkansas and Razorbacks across the nation and around the world is truly legendary."

His most recent national championship was in 2006 in indoor track; his team won the SEC indoor title in 2007 for his last league championship.

McDonnell's 12 consecutive NCAA indoor track championships, from 1984 to 1995, made up the longest streak of Division I titles in any sport.

The Razorbacks' track and field program received sanctions from the NCAA last year, though the university has appealed the judgment.

The Razorbacks lost two national titles and received three years' probation for violations involving sprint star Tyson Gay and a former assistant coach. The NCAA handed down its decision in October.

 

[pallister]

To win so consistently for so long is incredible, regardless of the sport.

 

[DemoChristian]

His 42 titles would place him fifth on the list of schools with the most.

http://www.ncaa.org/champadmin/champs_listing1.html

 

[ucacm]

the track facilities at Arkansas are absolutely sick. I went to my first indoor track meet a few months ago at the Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville and I couldn't believe how nice of a place it was for a sport with such a small following at the collegiate level. The U of A also is putting the finishing touches on a brand new outdoor track facility. I just feel bad for the guy that has to replace him, it won't be possible to live up to the expectations.

 

[Hammer Pants]

I'll second what ucasm just said, and I'll add that I still haven't seen a school with better top-to-bottom facilities than Arkansas — a few in the ballpark, but none better.

 

[fishwrapper]

I'll second what ucasm just said, and I'll add that I still haven't seen a school with better top-to-bottom facilities than Arkansas — a few in the ballpark, but none better.

I've seen only one. Univ. of Nike (in Eugene, Ore.).

 

[Hammer Pants]

I'll second what ucasm just said, and I'll add that I still haven't seen a school with better top-to-bottom facilities than Arkansas — a few in the ballpark, but none better.

I've seen only one. Univ. of Nike (in Eugene, Ore.).

I've heard that, but I haven't been to Eugene. Hopefully, I'll get up that way soon.

 

[scribbler]

I'll second what ucasm just said, and I'll add that I still haven't seen a school with better top-to-bottom facilities than Arkansas — a few in the ballpark, but none better.

I've seen only one. Univ. of Nike (in Eugene, Ore.).

Have you been to Mac Court at Oregon and compared it to Walton Arena in Fayetteville? (Not to mention Oregon's nonexistent baseball park -- though there's a new one on the way -- vs. Arkansas' Baum Stadium). ... U of Nike is nice, but doesn't compare ... yet. When Phil Knight's $200 million arena gets built, and the baseball park is completed, then I'd agree.

Not now, though.

 

[micropolitan guy]

Nice ride.

But the NCAA indoor track titles are the equivalent of winning the Arena Bowl.

And how many times was he on probation?

Oregon's football and track facilities are very nice, as are many of its support buildings. The Ducks have tons of bling.

Basketball, softball, soccer and lacrosse are all very ordinary, however. Soccer, lacrosse, football and soon-to-be-baseball facilities are all located about a mile or so off the heart of campus, the raised dugouts render 40 percent of the softball seating useless, and wrestling has been dropped completely.

 

[Armchair_QB]

Arkansas' track facilities are nice now but up until the late 90s they were horse**** compared to most of the other traditionally strong track programs.

What he did there is truly remarkable.

 

[fishwrapper]

When Knight Arena is built, Nike will have the best facilities in the country.
Can't really knock Univ. of Nike for not having a baseball stadium when they didn't have a team.

 

[JayFarrar]

Isn't one of McDonnell' assistants in prison for fudging academic records of his athletes?
Seems like I recall something.

The (South Carolina) State did a series last year, maybe two, on SEC facilities and they crowned Arkansas No.1 in the conference and best in the country as well.
The thing about Arkansas is they have dumped tons of money into facilities that don't normally get cash like track, softball and baseball.
I'd put the football stadium about middle of the pack in the SEC but basketball would be second, I think.
I'd like to take a look at Eugene, one of the places I'd like to go, and see what it is like.

 

[Inky_Wretch]

Isn't one of McDonnell' assistants in prison for fudging academic records of his athletes?
Seems like I recall something.

I believe that assistant's misdeeds happened prior to his hiring at Arkansas.

These stats from Wikipedia are pretty amazing ...

20 conference triple crowns since 1982, including eight straight between 1987 and 1995
25 consecutive conference titles in cross country with indoor track and outdoor track combined from 1987 to 1995
72 conference championships in the last 77 events Arkansas has entered since 1981-1982
83 conference championships overall since 1974 including 38 in the SWC and 45 in the SEC (out of a possible 50, or 90 percent)
12 consecutive NCAA indoor track championships (1984-1995)
coached 178 track All-Americans, earning 635 separate All-America honors
34 consecutive league cross country championships, including 17 straight in the SEC (1974-2007)[2]
54 individual national champions
23 Olympians coached spanning three decades and six different Olympic Games including gold, silver and bronze medalists

 

[micropolitan guy]

When Knight Arena is built, Nike will have the best facilities in the country.
Can't really knock Univ. of Nike for not having a baseball stadium when they didn't have a team.

Nicer than Ohio State, with Ohio Stadium and it's brand-new arena?

Nicer than Wisconsin, with the Kohl Center and Camp Randall?

That's just two schools in the Big Ten.

 

[Jake_Taylor]

So who are the hot candidates to replace him? Stanley Redwine maybe?

 

[mdpoppy]

Nicer than Wisconsin, with the Kohl Center and Camp Randall?

Sure, those two facilities might be nice -- but everything else on campus isn't. Crappy soccer field, the worst swimming facilities in the Big Ten (the swimming coach is getting a big check because he made them put it in his contract that if they don't upgrade the facilities, he'll get a big bonus), horrible indoor track facilities (share it with a student gym) and so on.

Wisconsin's nice, but shouldn't be in the same breath as "the best facilities in the country" if we're talking overall.

 

[Armchair_QB]

Isn't one of McDonnell' assistants in prison for fudging academic records of his athletes?
Seems like I recall something.

I believe that assistant's misdeeds happened prior to his hiring at Arkansas.

These stats from Wikipedia are pretty amazing ...

20 conference triple crowns since 1982, including eight straight between 1987 and 1995
25 consecutive conference titles in cross country with indoor track and outdoor track combined from 1987 to 1995
72 conference championships in the last 77 events Arkansas has entered since 1981-1982
83 conference championships overall since 1974 including 38 in the SWC and 45 in the SEC (out of a possible 50, or 90 percent)
12 consecutive NCAA indoor track championships (1984-1995)
coached 178 track All-Americans, earning 635 separate All-America honors
34 consecutive league cross country championships, including 17 straight in the SEC (1974-2007)[2]
54 individual national champions
23 Olympians coached spanning three decades and six different Olympic Games including gold, silver and bronze medalists

In their final SWC cross country championship appearance they won the title with a perfect score of 15 points. I don't think that happens too often either.

 

[fishwrapper]

When Knight Arena is built, Nike will have the best facilities in the country.
Can't really knock Univ. of Nike for not having a baseball stadium when they didn't have a team.

Nicer than Ohio State, with Ohio Stadium and it's brand-new arena?

Nicer than Wisconsin, with the Kohl Center and Camp Randall?

That's just two schools in the Big Ten.

Yes, actually. Yes. It's purely subjective. I have no dog in this hunt, and I don't particularly like Oregon or Phil Knight. Just an observation.

 

[micropolitan guy]

No dog in the hunt either.

Sport for sport, Stanford's facilities are the best in the Pac-10, far and away.

Oregon's football stadium is nice, with a gaudy locker room, and over-the-top training room. Hayward Field is the country's top collegiate track venue.

But the baseball stadium hasn't been built, it's still a parking lot less than a year before their first game. The basketball arena isn't off the drawing board yet and is drawing more heat every day for it's "creative" financing plan and increasing neighborhood opposition because there's no on-site parking.No guarantee is will be bujilt by 2010 as projected.

The soccer, softball, lacrosse, tennis, etc., facilities are certainly nothing special. They don't have a university golf course, like many other Pac-10 schools. And until it's razed McArthur Court is a quaint firetrap with several thousand view-obstructed, cramped seats (and a fun place to watch a game, I'll gladly concede that).

Maybe a separate facilities thread is warrented, but certainly Oregon's overall facilities aren't anywhere near the best in the conference, much less the entire country.

And to get this back on course, great career for the Arkansas coach. I enjoyed watching Joe Falcon at NCAAs one year along time ago.

 

[ucacm]

The thing about Arkansas is they have dumped tons of money into facilities that don't normally get cash like track, softball and baseball.

I don't know if it's true, but I'd wager that the baseball team is actually a revenue producer at Arkansas. Last year they led the nation in attendance and have luxury suites all the way down each baseline to the outfield wall. IIRC, last year against Vanderbilt, they got around 30,000 fans through the turnstiles for the series.

Also, there is a brand new softball field currently under construction at U of A.