2008 Woodie Awards
A legend says farewell
Team wants to win one more for 'Coach Mac'
Bart Pohlman
Issue date: 4/23/08 Section: Sports
With his myriad of national championship trophies surrounding him, legendary Arkansas cross country and track and field coach John McDonnell announced his retirement Monday, bringing the most successful coaching tenure in NCAA history to an end.
"There's never a good time [to retire], but I want to spend time with my family," McDonnell said.
The decision to retire came as a shock to many of McDonnell's athletes, both past and present.
Wallace Spearmon, three-time NCAA champion at Arkansas and 2008 Olympic hopeful, said it was a sad day for him.
"I almost felt like I would retire before Coach McDonnell did," Spearmon said. "But I guess today is the day. He's going to spend time with his family, and no one can really blame him for that."
McDonnell's current athletes were just as shocked and sad when he told them of his intentions during a team meeting before the press conference Monday.
"[The team meeting] was emotional," junior distance runner Scott MacPherson said. "It hit us pretty quickly. He walked in, and everyone got quiet pretty quickly because we all had an idea of what was coming. All of a sudden, the waterworks were flowing and everyone had goosebumps."
McDonnell said leaving the athletes was the hardest part about retiring, but the team isn't the only thing he's leaving.
McDonnell also leaves behind an unparalleled legacy of 42 NCAA championships and 83 conference titles, records which will almost surely never be touched.
"It's one that will never be matched," Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long said of McDonnell's legacy. "There'll never be someone who wins 42 national championships and 83 conference titles. I can't believe that it will ever be surpassed. That's the kind of impact he's had. We're known worldwide because of Arkansas track. No matter where you go around the world, people who know track know about the University of Arkansas and John McDonnell."
Amazing as they are, it's hard to base McDonnell's accomplishments solely on numbers, UA Chancellor John White said.
"There's never a good time [to retire], but I want to spend time with my family," McDonnell said.
The decision to retire came as a shock to many of McDonnell's athletes, both past and present.
Wallace Spearmon, three-time NCAA champion at Arkansas and 2008 Olympic hopeful, said it was a sad day for him.
"I almost felt like I would retire before Coach McDonnell did," Spearmon said. "But I guess today is the day. He's going to spend time with his family, and no one can really blame him for that."
McDonnell's current athletes were just as shocked and sad when he told them of his intentions during a team meeting before the press conference Monday.
"[The team meeting] was emotional," junior distance runner Scott MacPherson said. "It hit us pretty quickly. He walked in, and everyone got quiet pretty quickly because we all had an idea of what was coming. All of a sudden, the waterworks were flowing and everyone had goosebumps."
McDonnell said leaving the athletes was the hardest part about retiring, but the team isn't the only thing he's leaving.
McDonnell also leaves behind an unparalleled legacy of 42 NCAA championships and 83 conference titles, records which will almost surely never be touched.
"It's one that will never be matched," Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long said of McDonnell's legacy. "There'll never be someone who wins 42 national championships and 83 conference titles. I can't believe that it will ever be surpassed. That's the kind of impact he's had. We're known worldwide because of Arkansas track. No matter where you go around the world, people who know track know about the University of Arkansas and John McDonnell."
Amazing as they are, it's hard to base McDonnell's accomplishments solely on numbers, UA Chancellor John White said.
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