Nolan Richardson Inducted Into NJCAA Hall of Fame

The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) announced that former basketball head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks, Nolan Richardson has been inducted into the NJCAA Hall of Fame.

Richardson joins former Mississippi Gulf Coast track and field athlete, Brittney Reese, former Major League Baseball (MLB) player, Kirby Puckett, Florida State Univerity’s winningest basketball head coach, Leonard Hamilton, and all-time winningest Major League Soccer (MLS) head coach, Bruce Arena.

The former Razorbacks coach had also been inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame (2008) and the Basketball Hall of Fame (2014).

The El Paso, Texas native was a basketball player before he hung up his sneakers and threw on the coaching cap. He initially started playing at Eastern Arizona Junior College before taking his talent to Texas Western College.

He started his coaching career when he led the basketball team from his hometown at Bowie High School in 1968. After being there for 10 years, he advanced to the collegiate level when 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, becoming only the third team to finish the season undefeated with a 37-0 record.

His accolades include becoming the first African American coach to win the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) championship (the University of Tulsa). With a winning percentage of .763, 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 the former coach led the team to 15 postseason appearances in 17 years. Richardson took the Razorbacks to three Final Fours while winning the NCAA Championship in 1994.

Amongst the awards that Richardson includes are NABC Coach of the Year, Naismith College Coach of the Year, SEC Coach of the Year, MVC Coach of the Year two times, 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.

Former Arkansas Razorbacks Football Coach Nolan Richardson Inducted Into NJCAA Hall of Fame