John McDonnell documentary premiered

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – A documentary film highlighting the life and career of legendary Arkansas track and field coach John McDonnell premiered at the Donald W. Reynolds Center for Enterprise Development auditorium on the campus of the University of Arkansas on Monday night.

John McDonnell – The Greatest Coach Ever!, a 26-minute film developed by Emmy Award winning documentary producer Larry Foley and longtime Razorback video archivist Jim Borden was commissioned by the University of Arkansas Athletic Department to commemorate the unprecedented career of the most successful coach in Division I-A history.

The film features the story of McDonnell chronicling his time as a young boy in County Mayo, Ireland, his collegiate running career at Southwestern Louisiana and his prolific coaching career at Arkansas. McDonnell spent 36 years as the head coach of the Razorbacks’ men’s cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field programs.

A 12-minute preview of the documentary was screened at the John McDonnell Tribute Dinner last September. The full-length documentary includes new footage, including aerial footage from Ireland as well as additional interviews with coaches, former Razorback student-athletes and McDonnell’s family and friends.

In McDonnell’s tenure, Arkansas won 40 national championships, including five national triple crowns, 84 conference championships and produced more than a dozen Olympians and 184 All-Americans.

John McDonnell – The Greatest Coach Ever! is available for pre-purchase through the Hog Heaven store on ArkansasRazorbacks.com. The DVD includes the full-length documentary, bonus interviews and highlights of the John McDonnell Tribute Dinner. Orders will be fulfilled in four to six weeks.