John McDonnell (coach)

Coach McDonnell led the track team to their first national championship at the 1984 NCAA Indoor Championships while the school was a member of the now-defunct Southwest Conference. Since then, the University of Arkansas has won 40 NCAA championships, including 11 cross country, 19 indoor track and 10 outdoor track. Other schools have won only 24 combined NCAA titles in the three sports during the same period.

McDonnell also won five national triple crowns (in 1984-85, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1994–95 and 1998–99). Texas-El Paso has won three national triple crowns. No other school has ever won one.

McDonnell was hired as the cross country coach in 1972 and added the entire men's track and field program in 1978.

McDonnell earned his bachelor's degree from Southwestern Louisiana (now Louisiana-Lafayette) in 1969. While competing to become a six-time all-American in track and cross country at USL, he became the 1966–67 AAU 3,000-meter champion, and won the mile at the 1966 British Selection Games.

He coached at New Providence (N.J.) High School (1969–70) and Lafayette (La.) High School (1971) before coming to the University of Arkansas.

McDonnell was granted United States citizenship in 1969, the same year he graduated from the University of Southwestern Louisiana.

John McDonnell (July 2, 1938 – June 7, 2021) was a head coach for the University of Arkansas Razorbacks track team. He began as the cross country and track head coach for the university in 1972 and became head track coach in 1978. McDonnell retired after the 2008 NCAA Outdoor Championships. He is considered by many to be the single most successful head coach (any sport) in collegiate athletics history.