1965–1969 Southwestern Louisiana 1972–2008 Arkansas Position(s) 3,000 meter, mile Name John McDonnell | 1969–1970 New Providence (NJ) HS Role Coach 1971 Lafayette (LA) HS | |
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Education University of Louisiana at Lafayette | ||
Conference Southeastern Conference | ||
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John McDonnell (born July 2, 1938) is the retired head coach for the University of Arkansas Razorbacks track team. He began as the cross country and track head coach for the University in 1972 and became head track coach in 1978. McDonnell retired after the 2008 NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Contents
- Mount hogmore part 3 john mcdonnell
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- Early life
- Coaching accomplishments at Arkansas
- Personal life
- References
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Early life
McDonnell earned his bachelor's degree from Southwestern Louisiana (now Louisiana-Lafayette) in 1969, while competing to become a six-time all-American in track and cross country at USL, become the 1966-67 AAU 3,000-meter champion, and won the mile at the 1966 British Selection Games.
He coached at New Providence (N.J.) High School (1969–70) and Lafayette (La.) High School (1971) before coming to the University of Arkansas.
Coaching accomplishments at Arkansas
McDonnell was hired as the cross country coach in 1972 and added the entire men's track and field program in 1978.
Coach McDonnell led the track team to their first national championship at the 1984 NCAA Indoor Championships while the school was a member of the now-defunct Southwest Conference. Since then, the University of Arkansas has won 40 NCAA championships, including 11 cross country, 19 indoor track and 10 outdoor track. Other schools have won only 24 combined NCAA titles in the three sports during the same period.
McDonnell's 40 national championships (which include 19 in indoor track, 10 in outdoor track and 11 in cross country) are more than any coach in any sport in the history of college athletics. The next highest is 31 by Pat Henry, former LSU and current track coach at Texas A&M University.
McDonnell also won five national triple crowns. (in 1984-85, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1994–95 and 1998–99) Texas-El Paso has won three national triple crowns. No other school has ever won one.
In addition, McDonnell team and individual achievements include:
The Razorback outdoor track facility on the campus of the University of Arkansas is named in his honor. McDonnell has been inducted as a member of the United States Track Coaches Hall of Fame, the University of Arkansas Sports Hall of Honor, the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame, the University of Southwestern Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and the Mayo Hall of Fame.
Personal life
McDonnell was granted United States citizenship in 1969, the same year he graduated from the University of Southwestern Louisiana.
Since retiring, McDonnell enjoys spending time on his 2,500-acre (10 km2) cattle ranch in Pryor, Oklahoma. He owns over 650 head of cattle. McDonnell is also involved with several non-profit organizations, including the American Heart Association and the Central Arkansas Radiation Therapy Institute and he works closely with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences to promote prostate cancer awareness. He is married to the former Ellen Elias of Bayonne, New Jersey and has two children, Heather and Sean.