John McDonnell By The Numbers Quick Facts
John McDonnell By The Numbers
1973 – The last year Arkansas did not win a conference cross country championship
652 – All-America selections
331 – Individual conference champions (20 cross country, 160 indoor, 151 outdoor)
223 – points scored by his 1994 outdoor team at the SEC meet, a league record
185 – All-Americans (coached all but three of Arkansas’ all-time All-Americans)
140 – National, Regional and Conference Coach of the Year honors
105 – Individual NCAA championships won (three cross country, 51 indoor, 51 outdoor)
94 – Points scored by his 1994 indoor team at the NCAA meet, the most in NCAA history
90 – Percentage of SEC titles won since joining the league (45 of 50)
83 – Conference championships (34 cross country, 27 indoor track, 22 outdoor track)
62 – Region Coach of the Year honors
61 – Percentage of NCAA titles won since 1984 (42 of 69)
49 – Conference Coach of the Year honors
45 – Southeastern Conference championships (17 cross country, 15 indoor track, 13 outdoor track)
42 – NCAA championships (more than any other coach in anysingle-gender programin the history of collegiate athletics)
38 – Southwest Conference championships (17 cross country, 12 indoor track, 9 outdoor track)
36 – Years as Arkansas’ head coach
34 – Consecutive conference cross country titles won (current streak, record for any sport)
30 – National Coach of the Year honors
25 – Consecutive conference cross country, indoor and outdoor track titles won (1987-95)
23 – Olympians coached (including gold, silver and bronze medalists)
20 – Conference triple crowns (eight straight from 1987-95)
19 – NCAA indoor track titles
12 – NCAA outdoor track titles
12 – Consecutive NCAA indoor titles won (1984-95)
11 – NCAA cross country titles (NCAA record)
5 – NCAA triple crowns (1984-85, 1991-92, 1992-93, 1993-94, 1998-99)
John McDonnell Quick Facts
Birthdate: July 2, 1938
Birthplace: County Mayo, Ireland
Family
Wife: former Ellen Elias
Children: Heather, Sean
Education
B.A. in Education
Southwestern Louisiana (now Louisiana-Lafayette), 1969
Running Experience
Six-time All-American in track and cross country at USL
1966-67 AAU 3,000-meter champion
Won mile at the 1966 British Selection Games
Coaching Experience
New Providence (N.J.) High School, 1969-70
Lafayette (La.) High School, 1971
Arkansas, 1972-2008
NCAA National Championships (42)
Cross Country: 11 (1984, 1986-87, 1990-93, 1995, 1998-2000)
Indoor Track: 19 (1984-95, 1997-2000, 2003, 2005-06)
Outdoor Track: 12 (1985, 1992-99, 2003-05)
Conference Championships (83)
Cross Country: 34 (1974-2007)
Indoor Track: 26 (1979, 1981-95, 1997-2003, 2005-08)
Outdoor Track: 22 (1982-85, 1988-2000, 2003-05)
Coaching Honors
National Track and Field Hall of Fame
United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches (USTFCCCA) Hall of Fame
USA Track and Field Hall of Fame
Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame
UA Hall of Honor
ULL Sports Hall of Fame
Selected as Team USA’s middle distance coach for the 2003 IAAF World Championships
National Coach of the Year 30 times
Conference Coach of the Year 49 times
Region Coach of the Year 62 times
