Washburn University basketball coach Brett Ballard has been involved in a car crash. As reported by the Daily Mail, the harrowing incident has left him "seriously injured".
According to a Kansas Highway Patrol accident report, the 46-year-old basketball coach was driving alone in his Ford F-150 pickup truck on August 5 along the Kansas Turnpike.
The report reads the truck "left the roadway and went to the left" before striking a delineator post. It went on to hit "the embankment" and then a "bridge pillar".
Following this tragic crash, he was taken to Stormont Vail Hospital in Topeka, Kansas. However, neither the first responders who came to the scene, nor the hospital, have commented on his current condition.
Washburn's president, JuliAnn Mazacheck, released a statement following the basketball coach's crash. "We are deeply saddened to share that Coach Brett Ballard was seriously injured in a car accident last evening."
"Our hearts are with Coach Ballard, his family, the men's basketball program and all who are affected during this difficult time."
"We ask our community to keep them in their thoughts during this time of recover and to respect the family's privacy," she continued. "The university will share additional information when appropriate."
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The Basketball Coach Has a Long History
Ballard has had a long and storied history in college basketball.
As a player, he first represented the University of Kansas during the 2001-2 season as a guard. But, his most notable performance was his stint as a Jayhawks player.
He was on the team when they made the 2002 NCAA Final Four - and the team even won the Big 12 title that same year.
But his true prowess shows as a basketball coach. He's been with Washburn for 8 seasons, and was just preparing to begin his ninth before the tragic crash.
With them, he's got a pretty impressive 167 wins to 79 losses. His team had made five NCAA Division II tournaments under his supervision, and even made the Final Four in just 2024-25.
We hope he recovers soon, and can get back to coaching. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and the people that know him during this troubling time.
