June 9, 2023
Black Excellence Recognized As Former Razorback’s Coach Nolan Richardson Is Inducted Into The NJCAA Foundation Hall Of Fame
The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) announced that former Arkansas Razorbacks men’s basketball head coach Nolan Richardson has been inducted into its Hall of Fame.
Richardson joins former Mississippi Gulf Coast track and field athlete Brittney Reese, Hall of Fame baseball player Kirby Puckett, Florida State University’s winningest basketball head coach Leonard Hamilton, and Major League Soccer head coach Bruce Arena.
The former Razorbacks coach had also been inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame (2008) and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (2014).
The El Paso, Texas, native was a basketball player before his coaching career. He initially started playing at Eastern Arizona Junior College before taking his talents to Texas Western College.
He started his coaching career with the basketball team from his hometown at Bowie High School in 1968. After being there for 10 seas, he took over at Western Texas Junior College in 1977. During his last year at the school, Richardson led the team to the 1980 NJCAA Men’s Basketball Championship with a 37-0 record, becoming only the third team to finish the season undefeated.
His accolades include becoming the first African American coach to win the National Invitational Tournament championship with the University of Tulsa. With a winning percentage of .763, Richardson was the first coach in NCAA history to win 50 games in his first two seasons.
His more prominent years took place at the University of Arkansas, where Richardson led the team to 15 postseason appearances in 17 years. Richardson took the Razorbacks to three Final Fours, winning the NCAA Championship in 1994.
Richardson has won NABC Coach of the Year, Naismith College Coach of the Year, SEC Coach of the Year, MVC Coach of the Year (twice), SWC Coach of the Year (three times), and the USBWA Most Courageous Award.
Richardson is the only coach to lead his collegiate teams to NJCAA, NIT, and NCAA championships.