Nolan Richardson Goes Back to Beginnings with Another HOF

Joining Junior College Hall of Fame is third one for legendary Hogs coach

(Andy Hodges / allHOGS Images)

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas legend Nolan Richardson is another Hall of Fame and, no, that's not a dismissive comment in any way. The only thing a little surprising is it took this long for him to be inducted into the National Junior College Hall of Fame.

Richardson, who guided the Razorbacks to their only national championship in a major sport in 1993-93, started his career in high school, then took West Texas Junior College while he compiled a 101-13 in three seasons. That included a 1980 championship. The 37-0 record that year is only the third in junior college history without a single loss.

Joining Richardson in the Class of 2023 are Brittany Reese (three-time track and field Olympic team member), Kirby Puckett (MLB Hall of Famer), Leonard Hamilton (current head men’s basketball coach at Florida State) and Bruce Arena (winning the most games all-time for a Major League Soccer head coach).

After West Texas, he went to Tulsa in 1981, becoming the first African American coach to win the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) title. Staying at Tulsa for five years, Richardson is credited with bringing the Tulsa program to national prominence, and with a winning percentage of .763, became the first coach in NCAA history to win 50 games in his first two seasons.

With the Hogs, Richardson led the team to 15 post-season appearances in 17 seasons. Finding great success at Arkansas, he led the Razorbacks to three Final Fours and, in 1994, the Hogs won the National Championship. Richardson’s career garnered numerous accolades including NABC Coach of the Year, Naismith College Coach of the Year, two-time MVC Coach of the Year, three-time SWC Coach of the Year, SEC Coach of the Year, and the USBWA Most Courageous Award.

Richardson is a member of the College Basketball Hall of Fame and the Basketball Hall of Fame, being inducted as part of the 2008 and 2014 classes, respectively. Born and raised in El Paso, Texas, Richardson played basketball collegiately at NJCAA member Eastern Arizona Junior College for one season before transferring to Texas Western College. After Western, he retired from playing and decided to leave his mark through coaching.

Information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story.

HOGS FEED:

DECISION BY JIMMY JOHNSON BEFORE DAN HAMPTON ARRIVED IN FAYETTEVILLE WHY HE SHOULD BE IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME

RAZORBACKS' QUARTERBACK KJ JEFFERSON HAS LEFT THE YARD FOR CALIFORNIA

WE DON'T KNOW 2024 SCHEDULE YET, BUT WE KNOW TWO TEAMS WHO WILL MOST LIKELY BE ON IT

LATEST TRANSFER RANKINGS MAY BE HELPING WITH RAZORBACKS' BASKETBALL SIGNEES

RAZORBACK BASEBALL HAS PICKED UP A LUNATIC FRINGE OF FANS JUST LIKE FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL

WHAT SCHEDULE COULD LOOK LIKE FOR HOGS, LONGHORNS, SOONERS UNDER NEW SCHEDULE FORMAT ... AT LEAST FOR A YEAR

SEC KICKS CAN DOWN THE ROAD FOR 2024 SCHEDULE FORMAT

DAVE VAN HORN HOPING FRESHMAN HAS PROBLEMS OF LAST THREE OUTINGS SOLVED FOR REGIONAL

SEC, ESPN LOSE IF LEAGUE GOES WITH NINE-GAME CONFERENCE SCHEDULE IN FOOTBALL

IF CHOICE WAS BETWEEN INVESTING IN HOLLAND OR DAVIS, THEN THERE WAS NO CHOICE TO BE MADE

RAZORBACKS GET THEIR LEADER BACK WITH RETURN OF DAVIS

GAME TIMES, TV NETWORKS SET FOR RAZORBACKS' FIRST THREE FOOTBALL GAMES (IF YOU CALL OPENER TV)

SHOULD THE SEC START MOVING TEAMS OUT OF CONFERENCE, RAZORBACKS WON'T BE ON THE BLOCK

SEC COMMISSIONER GREG SANKEY MAY HAVE TO JUMP IN MIDDLE OF SCHEDULE FRACAS AND TELL THEM WHAT THEY ARE DOING.

COULD BASKETBALL BE LOOKING AT SOMETHING MORE IMPORTANT IN SEC THAT FOOTBALL SCHEDULING?

GETTING TO TRUTH BEHIND BAYE FALL RUMORS

BEING DECISIVE IN FACE OF ANGER SHOW WHY VAN HORN IS SEC COACH OF THE YEAR

ARKANSAS FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

FAYETTEVILLE WEATHER UPDATE

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