kansascity
Washburn University men's basketball head coach Brett Ballard is anticipated to recover completely from injuries he suffered in a single-vehicle accident on Tuesday, as confirmed by university president JuliAnn Mazachek in a Saturday evening statement. The announcement came through a letter addressed to the Washburn community and shared via social media.
In the letter, Mazachek relayed a message from the Ballard family expressing gratitude toward the first responders and medical personnel at Stormont Vail Hospital who attended to Brett. The family acknowledged the overwhelming support from friends, family, and the community, noting that the prayers and well-wishes have been felt and are contributing to his recovery. Following a medical incident, Ballard is receiving necessary care and is expected to make a full recovery, the family stated, adding that the encouragement shown to the coach and his family has been deeply meaningful.
According to the Kansas Highway Patrol crash log, the accident took place at mile marker 183 on Interstate 470, just west of the I-470/I-70 split. Ballard, who was wearing a seatbelt, was transported to Stormont Vail Hospital. The crash was reported at 8:17 p.m. Tuesday along the Kansas Turnpike. The log details that Ballard was driving a Ford F-150 truck in the westbound lanes of Interstate 70 when the vehicle left the roadway, veered left, struck a delineator post, an embankment, and then a bridge pillar.
Key Analysis
Ballard is entering his 10th season at the helm of the Washburn program. His coaching career includes stints as head coach at Baker University from 2010 to 2012, assistant roles under Danny Manning at Wake Forest (2014-2017) and Tulsa (2012-2014), and a position as director of basketball operations and video coordinator at Kansas from 2003 to 2010. As a player, Ballard was a guard for Roy Williams' Jayhawks during the 2000-01 and 2001-02 seasons, contributing to a team that reached the Final Four in 2002. During his tenure on the Kansas staff, the Jayhawks captured the 2008 national championship, made three Elite Eight appearances, won or shared four Big 12 regular-season titles, and claimed three conference tournament championships.
Ballard, a Hutchinson High and Hutchinson Junior College product, played in 56 games at Kansas, scoring 59 points and dishing out 32 assists. The Jayhawks posted a combined 59-11 record during his two playing seasons, including a Sweet Sixteen appearance in 2001 and a Final Four berth in 2002. He earned a bachelor's degree in secondary education from Kansas in 2003 and was named an Academic All-Big 12 selection as a senior. Ballard and his wife, Kelly, have three children: sons Kaden and Brooks, and daughter Breagan.
Originally reported by kansascity.