John McDonnell: The Most Successful Coach in NCAA History

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271 Mike Conley tears up at a celebration in McIlroy Plaza in Fayetteville in honor of his Olympic gold medal in 1992. Behind him are Dick Booth, John, and Frank Broyles. Photo courtesy of John McDonnell. John and his family with President Clinton at the White House in 1993 after Arkansas won its tenth consecutive NCAA indoor championship—a Division I record. Photo courtesy of University of Arkansas Athletics Media Relations. 272 John and his children, Heather and Sean, greet the parrots in New Orleans for the NCAA Championships in 1993. Photo courtesy of John McDonnell. Frank Broyles (left) with John and Ellen McDonnell in Indianapolis after Arkansas won its tenth consecutive NCAA Indoor Championship in 1993— a Division-I record. Photo courtesy of John McDonnell. 273 Reuben Reina (left) and Brian Baker were mainstays on several national championship teams. Reina captured individual national titles in 1990 and 1991, and Baker followed suit in 1994. Photo courtesy of University of Arkansas Athletics Media Relations. Niall Bruton and Graham Hood were teammates and rivals who won twenty All-American certificates and made three Olympic appearances. John managed both within a team that won thirteen NCAA championships during their careers—including their share of Penn Relays distance medley relay wheels. Photo courtesy of University of Arkansas Athletics Media Relations. 274 Eammon Coghlan (left) presenting the Penn Relays wheel to Niall Bruton, Calvin Davis, Graham Hood, Brian Baker, and John. Photo courtesy of John McDonnell. Graham Hood (top left), Jason Bunston (top right), and Teddy Mitchell (bottom) after a season in which each of them won NCAA individual titles in the 1500 meter (outdoors), 5000 meter (indoors), and 10,000 meter (outdoors), respectively. Photo courtesy of University of Arkansas Athletics Media Relations. 275 Winning never gets old: Ryan Wilson raises his arms after winning the 1996 NCAA indoor 3000 meter. Photo courtesy of University of Arkansas Athletics Media Relations. 276 John and family in 2002. Photo courtesy of John McDonnell. Brandon Rock showing off a shirt celebrating “National Champions: Back to Back to Back to Back to Back . . .” after the Razorbacks won their unprecedented twelfth indoor national championships in a row in 1995. Photo courtesy of University of Arkansas Athletics Media Relations. 277 John and Heather share a father-daughter moment at the Woodland Junior High Spaghetti Dinner. Photo courtesy of John McDonnell. Coaches Steve Silvey, John, and Dick Booth (front) lead the team in “Calling the Hogs” after winning back their indoor national title in 1997 with the team decked out in their white warm-ups. Said Vin Lananna of the white warm-ups: “That’s when I knew [John] was confident they were going to win.” Photo courtesy of University of Arkansas Athletics Media Relations. 278 Matt Hemingway won an SEC title in the high jump, but his greatest triumph came after college with an Olympic silver medal in 2004. Photo courtesy of University of Arkansas Athletics Media Relations. Multiple NCAA 400 meter champion Calvin Davis focused on the 400-meter hurdles after college, which led to an Olympic bronze medal in 1996. Photo courtesy of University of Arkansas Athletics Media Relations. 279 Godfrey Siamusiye was never beaten as a Razorback in cross country. Said Danny Green: “He may be the greatest cross country runner ever in the NCAA.” Photo courtesy of University of Arkansas Athletics Media Relations. Godfrey Siamusiye. Photo courtesy of University of Arkansas Athletics Media Relations. 280 Tradition Never Graduates: James Karanu, Mike Power, Seneca Lassiter, and Sharif Karie (left) set a Texas Relays 4 x 1500 meter record in 1999 before Power, Karie Lassiter, and Matt Kerr (right) duplicated the feat in the 4 x mile at Penn Relays only weeks later. Photo courtesy of University of Arkansas Athletics Media Relations. John never missed his son Sean’s motocross when he was in town. Photo courtesy of John McDonnell. 281 Once they dropped James Menon (middle) of Wisconsin in the 10,000 meter final of the 1996 NCAA Championships in Oregon, Jason Bunston (left) and Godfrey Siamusiye (right) had a battle for the ages—with the Oregon crowd standing for the last 800 meters. Photo courtesy of...