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Richard McConnell - Basketball (1947-51) and Football (1950)
In his career with the Washburn basketball team from 1947-51, Richard McConnell helped the Ichabods to four winnings seasons and a conference title his senior year. He was inducted into the Washburn Athletic Hall of Fame in 1986-87.
The Ichabods’ 61-59 victory over Emporia State in the 1950-51 season clinched the Central Intercollegiate Conference championship for the Washburn. Early in the second half the Hornets had a 17-point lead but the Ichabod offense awoke and chipped away at that lead. With seconds to go WU tied the score at 59-59. After ESU missed several shots to take the lead the Ichabods secured a rebound and moved the ball up court. A pass to McConnell in the corner set him up for a jump shot and he sank it for the win and the conference crown.
McConnell also lettered on the football team in 1950 as Hall of Fame coach Dick Godlove adopted the t-formation, a revolutionary move for Washburn.
McConnell always expressed an interest in coaching in small school settings and after his playing days he did just that. He coached for two years at Kansas high schools and then his Air Force service took him to Arizona. While living there he became the state’s winningest high school coach with 336 wins and in 1984 he was inducted into the Arizona Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
McConnell’s coaching was described in this way: “It seems his first goal with new students is not to do any of them harm and secondly, to see what good he can accomplish with them. With this approach, students invariably respond positive to his efforts. Players who would be cut from most teams early in their careers are brought along by Dick to the point where they become productive members of the team.”
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