The sports teams at the University of Kansas

University of Kansas

The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...

 are known as the Jayhawks. They are one of three schools in the state of Kansas that participate in NCAA

National Collegiate Athletic Association

The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...

 Division I. The Jayhawks are also a member of the Big 12 Conference

Big 12 Conference

The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...

. University of Kansas athletic teams have won ten total NCAA Division I championships, including three in men's basketball, one in men's cross country, three in men's indoor track and field, and three in men's outdoor track and field.

• Men's sports
  • Basketball
    College basketball
    College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
    
    
  • Baseball
    College baseball
    College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. Compared to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a less significant contribution to cultivating professional players, as the minor leagues primarily...
    
    
  • Cross country
  • Football
    College football
    College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
    
    
  • Golf
  • Track and field

• Women's sports
  • Basketball
    College basketball
    College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
    
    
  • Cross country
  • Golf
  • Rowing
  • Soccer
    College soccer
    College soccer is a term used to describe association football played by teams who are operated by colleges and universities as opposed to a professional league operated for exclusively financial purposes...
    
    
  • Softball
  • Swimming and diving
  • Tennis
  • Track and field
  • Volleyball

Origins of "Jayhawk"

The Jayhawk is a mythical cross between two birds—the noisy blue jay

Blue Jay

The Blue Jay is a passerine bird in the family Corvidae, native to North America. It is resident through most of eastern and central United States and southern Canada, although western populations may be migratory. It breeds in both deciduous and coniferous forests, and is common near and in...

 and the quiet sparrow hawk

American Kestrel

The American Kestrel , sometimes colloquially known as the Sparrow Hawk, is a small falcon, and the only kestrel found in the Americas. It is the most common falcon in North America, and is found in a wide variety of habitats. At long, it is also the smallest falcon in North America...

. The word came to prominence just before the Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

, in Bleeding Kansas

Bleeding Kansas

Bleeding Kansas, Bloody Kansas or the Border War, was a series of violent events, involving anti-slavery Free-Staters and pro-slavery "Border Ruffian" elements, that took place in the Kansas Territory and the western frontier towns of the U.S. state of Missouri roughly between 1854 and 1858...

, where it was adopted by militant abolitionist groups known as Jayhawkers. With the admission of Kansas as a free state in 1861, Jayhawker became synonymous with the people of Kansas. The Jayhawk appears in several Kansas cheers, most notably, the "Rock Chalk, Jayhawk

Rock Chalk, Jayhawk

"Rock Chalk, Jayhawk" is a chant used at University of Kansas Jayhawks sporting events. The chant is made up of the phrase "Rock chalk, Jayhawk, KU".-History:...

" chant in unison before and during games. http://www.ku.edu/about/traditions/chant.shtml In September 2011, the town of Osceola, Missouri

Osceola, Missouri

Osceola is a city in St. Clair County, Missouri, United States. The population was 835 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of St. Clair County.-History:...

 revived a 150 year old grudge by asking the University of Kansas

University of Kansas

The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...

 to remove the Jayhawk as its mascot.

Conference championships & titles

Big 12 Conference

Big 12 Conference

The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...

 champions have the best conference regular season record, and titles are awarded to the winner of the postseason championship tournament. In all sports combined (as of May 2011) the Jayhawks have won total of 162 conference titles all-time, 24 championships since joining the Big 12. Note that approximately 1/3 of those are from the Men's basketball team.

Men's Basketball
The Jayhawks have won or shared an NCAA record 54 conference championships since they joined their first conference in 1907. The Jayhawks have belonged to the Big 12 Conference

Big 12 Conference

The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...

 since it formed before the 1996–97 season. Before that, the Jayhawks have belonged to the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association from the 1907–08 to 1927–28 seasons, the Big Six Conference from 1928–29 to 1946–47, the Big Seven Conference from 1947–48 to 1957–58, the Big Eight Conference

Big Eight Conference

The Big Eight Conference, a former NCAA-affiliated Division I-A college athletic association that sponsored football, was formed in January 1907 as the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association by its charter member schools: the University of Kansas, University of Missouri, University...

 from 1958–59 up until the end of the 1995–96 season. It should be noted that the Big Six and Big Seven conferences were actually the more often used names of the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association, which existed under that official name until 1964, when it was changed to the Big Eight.

Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association (13)

• 1908, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1914, 1915, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927

Big Six Conference (12)

• 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1946

Big Seven Conference (5)

• 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1957

Big Eight Conference (13)

• 1960, 1966, 1967, 1971, 1974, 1975, 1978, 1986, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1999

Big 12 Conference (11)

1997 – Big 12 regular-season and tournament champion – coached by Roy Williams

Roy Williams (coach)

Roy Williams is head coach of the men's basketball team at the University of North Carolina. After averaging nearly an 80% win percentage in 15 seasons at the University of Kansas, he became the eighteenth head coach at North Carolina when he replaced Matt Doherty in 2003...

, won 87–60 over Missouri

1998 – Big 12 regular-season and tournament champion – coached by Roy Williams, won 72–58 over Oklahoma

1999 – Big 12 tournament champion – coached by Roy Williams, won 53–37 over Oklahoma State

2002 – Big 12 regular-season champion – coached by Roy Williams, was undefeated (16–0), lost the title game 64–55 to #2 seeded Oklahoma. Reached Final Four before losing to eventual National Champion Maryland.

2003 – Big 12 regular-season champion – coached by Roy Williams. Defeated in title game of the NCAA Tournament by Syracuse.

2005 – Big 12 regular-season co-champion with Oklahoma. Lost in Big 12 Tournament semi-final to 3 seed Oklahoma State. – coached by Bill Self

Bill Self

Bill Self is an American college men's basketball coach at the University of Kansas, where he led the Jayhawks to the 2008 NCAA national championship....

2006 – Big 12 regular-season co-champion with Texas and tournament champion – coached by Self, won 80–68 over #1 seeded Texas

2007

2006-07 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team

The 2006–07 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team represented the University of Kansas Jayhawks for the NCAA Division I men's intercollegiate basketball season of 2006–2007. The team was led by Bill Self in his fourth season as head coach...

 – Big 12 regular season champion and tournament champion – coached by Self, won 88–84 in OT over #3 seeded Texas

2008

2007-08 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team

The 2007–08 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team represented the University of Kansas for the NCAA Division I men's intercollegiate basketball season of 2007–2008. The team was led by Bill Self in his fifth season as head coach. The team played its home games in Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence,...

 – Big 12 regular season co-champion with Texas and tournament champion – coached by Self, won 84–74 over #1 seeded Texas

2009

2008-09 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team

The 2008–09 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team represented the University of Kansas in the 2008-09 NCAA Division I men's basketball season, the Jayhawks' 111th basketball season. The Head Coach was Bill Self, serving his 6th year...

 – Big 12 regular season champions – coached by Bill Self

2010 – Big 12 regular season champions and Big 12 tournament champions – coached by Bill Self

2011 – Big 12 regular season champions and Big 12 tournament champions – coached by Bill Self

Women's Basketball

1979 – Big 8 tournament champion

1980 – Big 8 tournament champion

1981 – Big 8 tournament champion

1987 – Big 8 regular season and tournament champion

1988 – Big 8 tournament champion

1992 – Big 8 regular season champion

1993 – Big 8 tournament champion

1996 – Big 8 regular season champion

1997 – Big 12 champion – coached by Marian Washington

Marian Washington

Marian Washington is Kansas University’s former Women’s Basketball Coach. Marian’s longevity as KU Women’s Basketball Coach exceeded 30 years. Throughout her career, Marian achieved multiple awards and accomplishments which include: achieving membership in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame,...

Football

1892 Western Interstate University Football Association champion

1893 Western Interstate University Football Association champion (tie)

1895 Western Interstate University Football Association champion (tie)

1908 – MVIAA champion – coached by A.R. Kennedy, was undefeated (4–0; 9–0 overall)

1930 – Big 6 champion – coached by Bill Hargiss

1946 – Big 6 champion (tie) – coached by George Sauer

George Sauer

-External links:* at College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com...

1947 – Big 6 champion (tie) – coached by Sauer

1968 – Big 8 champion (tie) – coached by Pepper Rodgers

Pepper Rodgers

Franklin C. "Pepper" Rodgers is a former American football player and coach in the United States. He served as the head coach at the University of Kansas , University of California, Los Angeles , and the Georgia Institute of Technology , compiling a career college football record of...

Baseball

1922 – MVIAA champion

1923 – MVIAA champion

1949 – Big 7 Conference champion

2006 – Big 12 tournament champion – defeated Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Missouri, and Nebraska in the Conference playoffs.

Soccer

2004 – Big 12 regular season co-champion – coached by Mark Francis

Softball

2006 – Big 12 tournament champion – won 4–2 over Oklahoma and outscored opponents 13–3 in four games

Men's Indoor Track & Field

1922, 1923, 1934, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983

Men's Outdoor Track & Field

1910, 1927, 1928, 1930, 1931, 1934, 1946, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1982

Men's Cross Country

1928, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1968, 1969

Men's Golf

1999

Tennis

1979, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996

National championships

Men's Basketball

NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship

The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...

1922 Helms Basketball Champion – coached by Phog Allen

Phog Allen

Forrest Clare "Phog" Allen was an American basketball and baseball player, coach of American football, basketball, and baseball, college athletics administrator, and osteopathic physician...

1923 Helms Basketball Champion – coached by Phog Allen

Phog Allen

Forrest Clare "Phog" Allen was an American basketball and baseball player, coach of American football, basketball, and baseball, college athletics administrator, and osteopathic physician...

1952

1952 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament

-External links:* on Shrp Sports * , source for much of the information on this page....

 – coached by Phog Allen

Phog Allen

Forrest Clare "Phog" Allen was an American basketball and baseball player, coach of American football, basketball, and baseball, college athletics administrator, and osteopathic physician...

, won 80–63 over St. John's

1988

1988 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament

The 1988 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 17, 1988, and ended with the championship game on April 4 returning to Kansas City, Missouri...

 – coached by Larry Brown

Larry Brown (basketball)

Lawrence Harvey "Larry" Brown is an American basketball coach and former player. He most recently served as head coach of the National Basketball Association's Charlotte Bobcats....

, won 83–79 over Oklahoma

Oklahoma Sooners men's basketball

-1908-1980:The Sooners enjoyed moderate success on the court during this era, posting only 16 losing records in their first 72 seasons. They were coached by 9 different coaches during this period, beginning with Bennie Owen , and ending with Dave Bliss in 1980...

2008

2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament

The 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2007–08 basketball season...

 – coached by Bill Self

Bill Self

Bill Self is an American college men's basketball coach at the University of Kansas, where he led the Jayhawks to the 2008 NCAA national championship....

, won 75–68 over Memphis

Memphis Tigers basketball

The Memphis Tigers men's basketball team represents the University of Memphis in NCAA Division I men's college basketball. The Tigers compete in Conference USA, in which they have won six regular season and four conference tournament championships. As of 2011, the Tigers have the 29th highest...

 in overtime.

Men's Cross Country

1953

Men's Indoor Track

NCAA Men's Indoor Track and Field Championship

NCAA team champions for Men's Indoor Track and Field-See also:*NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship*NCAA Women's Indoor Track and Field Championship*NCAA Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championship*Pre-NCAA Indoor Track and Field Champions...

1966 – 1969 – 1970

Men's Outdoor Track

NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship

The NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship is an annual collegiate outdoor track and field competition for men organised by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. It has three divisions: Division I, II, and III. Athlete's individual performances earn points for their institution and...

1959 – 1960 – 1970

Men's Tenpin Bowling

Ten-pin bowling

Ten-pin bowling is a competitive sport in which a player rolls a bowling ball down a wooden or synthetic lane with the objective of scoring points by knocking down as many pins as possible.-Summary:The lane is bordered along its length by semicylindrical channels Ten-pin bowling (commonly just...

2004 Intercollegiate Bowling Champions

BCS Bowls

2008 – Orange Bowl Winners; Defeated Virginia Tech 24–21 – coached by Mark Mangino

Mark Mangino

Mark Thomas Mangino is an American football coach. He was most recently the head coach of the Kansas Jayhawks college football team from 2002 to 2009. In 2007, Mangino received several National Coach of the Year honors after leading the Jayhawks to their first 12-win season in school history...

Men's basketball

The Jayhawks men's basketball program is one of the most successful and prestigious programs in the history of college basketball. The Jayhawks' first coach was the inventor of the game, James Naismith

James Naismith

The first game of "Basket Ball" was played in December 1891. In a handwritten report, Naismith described the circumstances of the inaugural match; in contrast to modern basketball, the players played nine versus nine, handled a soccer ball, not a basketball, and instead of shooting at two hoops,...

. The program has produced some of the game's greatest professional players (including Clyde Lovellette, Wilt Chamberlain

Wilt Chamberlain

Wilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain was an American professional NBA basketball player for the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers; he also played for the Harlem Globetrotters prior to playing in the NBA...

, Jo Jo White

Jo Jo White

Joseph Henry "Jo Jo" White is an American former professional basketball player.-Life and career:White was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the son of a minister...

 and Paul Pierce

Paul Pierce

Paul Anthony Pierce , nicknamed The Truth, is an American professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics of the NBA. He earned First Team All-America honors in his junior year at Kansas, and has been a starter every season since being selected by the Celtics with the 10th overall pick in the...

) and most successful coaches (including Phog Allen

Phog Allen

Forrest Clare "Phog" Allen was an American basketball and baseball player, coach of American football, basketball, and baseball, college athletics administrator, and osteopathic physician...

, Adolph Rupp

Adolph Rupp

Adolph Frederick Rupp was one of the most successful coaches in the history of American college basketball. Rupp is fourth in total victories by a men's NCAA Division I college coach, winning 876 games in 41 years of coaching...

, John McLendon

John McLendon

John B. McLendon, Jr. was a pioneering American basketball coach who is recognized as the first African American basketball coach at a predominantly white university. He was a major contributor to the development of modern basketball and coached on both the college and professional levels during...

, Larry Brown

Larry Brown

-Athletes:* Larry Brown , former NHL ice hockey player* Larry Brown , , NCAA, ABA and NBA player and coach-American football:* Larry Brown , NFL cornerback and Super Bowl MVP...

 and Dean Smith

Dean Smith

Dean Edwards Smith is a retired American head coach of men's college basketball. Originally from Emporia, Kansas, Smith has been called a “coaching legend” by the Basketball Hall of Fame. Smith is best known for his successful 36-year coaching tenure at the University of North Carolina at Chapel...

). The program has enjoyed considerable national success, having been selected Helms Foundation National Champions in 1922 and 1923, winning NCAA national championships in 1952, 1988, and 2008, playing in 13 Final Fours, and is one of only three programs to win more than 2,000 games. In Street & Smith's Annual list of 100 greatest college basketball programs of all time in 2005, KU ranked 4th.

Women's basketball

Kansas first fielded a women's team during the 1968–1969 season. For thirty-one seasons (1973–2004) the women's team was coached by Marian Washington

Marian Washington

Marian Washington is Kansas University’s former Women’s Basketball Coach. Marian’s longevity as KU Women’s Basketball Coach exceeded 30 years. Throughout her career, Marian achieved multiple awards and accomplishments which include: achieving membership in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame,...

, who led the team to three Big Eight championships, one Big 12 Championship, six conference tournament chapionships, eleven NCAA Tournament appearances and four AIAW

Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women

The Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women was founded in 1971 to govern collegiate women's athletics in the United States and to administer national championships. It evolved out of the Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics for Women . The association was one of the biggest...

 Tournament appearances. The team's best post-season result was a Sweet Sixteen appearance in 1998. Kansas is currently coached by Bonnie Henrickson who is in her 6th season.

Football

KU began playing football in 1890. The football team has had notable alumni including Gale Sayers

Gale Sayers

Gale Eugene Sayers also known as "The Kansas Comet", is a former professional football player in the National Football League who spent his entire career with the Chicago Bears....

, a two time All-American who later enjoyed an injury-shortened yet Hall of Fame career with the Chicago Bears; John Riggins

John Riggins

Robert John Riggins, nicknamed "The Diesel", is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the New York Jets and Washington Redskins. Riggins was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1992....

, another Pro Football Hall of Famer and Super Bowl XVII MVP with the Washington Redskins; Pro Football Hall of Famer for the Cleveland Browns, Mike McCormack; plus John Hadl

John Hadl

John Willard Hadl is a former collegiate and professional football player.Hadl was born in Lawrence, Kansas. After playing halfback on both offense and defense at the University of Kansas as a sophomore, Hadl played quarterback for his last two years at Kansas, and was selected as the school's...

, Dana Stubblefield

Dana Stubblefield

Dana William Stubblefield is a former American football defensive tackle in the National Football League. After graduating from Taylor High School in North Bend, Ohio, Stubblefield attended the University of Kansas....

, Bobby Douglass

Bobby Douglass

Robert Gilchrist Douglass is a former American football quarterback in the NFL, who played most of his career with the Chicago Bears, who drafted him in the second round of the 1969 NFL Draft. During his career, he also played for the San Diego Chargers, the New Orleans Saints, the Oakland...

, and Nolan Cromwell

Nolan Cromwell

Nolan Neil Cromwell is the wide receiver coach for the St. Louis Rams. He was an All-Pro safety for the Los Angeles Rams of the NFL and was the offensive coordinator at Texas A&M University. Cromwell played for the Rams from 1977 through 1987 and was named to the Pro Bowl in four consecutive...

. The Jayhawks have appeared three times in the Orange Bowl: 1948, 1969 and 2008. The team currently plays in Memorial Stadium (capacity 50,071), the seventh oldest college football stadium in the nation, which opened in 1921. The team is currently led by head coach Turner Gill

Turner Gill

Turner Hillery Gill is an American football coach who most recently served as the head coach at Kansas from 2010-2011, and was one of 11 African-American head coaches in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision at the time of his hiring.-College:Gill graduated from Arlington Heights High...

.

2008 Football and Basketball Record

In the 2007–2008 football and basketball seasons, KU amassed a combined 49–4 record (12–1 football, 37–3 basketball), which is the most combined wins ever by a NCAA Division I program, and is also one of only 2 college sports programs to win a BCS Bowl game and a College Basketball National Championship in the same sports season, the other was the 2006-2007 Florida Gators

Florida Gators

The Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...

 who won the BCS national championship and their second consecutive basketball national championship.

Baseball

Kansas baseball began in 1880 and has produced notable players such as Bob Allison

Bob Allison

William Robert "Bob" Allison was born in Raytown, Missouri and was a Major League Baseball outfielder and right-handed batter who played in the American League for the Washington Senators / Minnesota Twins from to ....

 and Steve Renko

Steve Renko

Steve Renko, Jr. is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Montreal Expos , Chicago Cubs , Chicago White Sox , Oakland Athletics , Boston Red Sox , California Angels and Kansas City Royals .He helped the Angels win the 1982 American League Western...

. The team has appeared in four NCAA tournaments (1993, 1994, 2006, 2009) and one College World Series (1993).

Missouri Tigers (Border War)

Since the inception of collegiate athletics at the University of Kansas, the main rival of Kansas has been the University of Missouri

University of Missouri

The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...

. The schools annually compete in the Border War. The historic rivalry between Kansas and Missouri dates back to the pre-Civil War days known as Bleeding Kansas

Bleeding Kansas

Bleeding Kansas, Bloody Kansas or the Border War, was a series of violent events, involving anti-slavery Free-Staters and pro-slavery "Border Ruffian" elements, that took place in the Kansas Territory and the western frontier towns of the U.S. state of Missouri roughly between 1854 and 1858...

, when pro-Slavery guerrillas from Missouri raided the anti-Slavery city of Lawrence in the Sacking of Lawrence

Sacking of Lawrence

In the northern spring of 1856, the Sacking of Lawrence helped ratchet up the guerrilla war in Kansas Territory that became known as Bleeding Kansas.-Background:...

. The rivalry further deepened and became more bloody during the Civil War when pro-Confederate guerrillas from Missouri again raided the pro-Union, anti-Slavery city of Lawrence in the Lawrence Massacre, killing between 185 and 200 men and boys. The rivalry between the two schools today has been described as one of the most intense in the nation. However, with the pending departure of Missouri for the Southeastern Conference

Southeastern Conference

The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...

, the future of the rivalry is in doubt.

Kansas State Wildcats (Sunflower Showdown)

Kansas State University

Kansas State University

Kansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...

 is Kansas' in-state rival. The series between Kansas and Kansas State is known as the Sunflower Showdown

Sunflower Showdown

The Sunflower Showdown is the series of athletic contests between Kansas State University and the University of Kansas, most notably football and men's basketball. The name is derived from the official nickname for the state of Kansas: the Sunflower State....

.

Other Big 12 rivalries

Besides Kansas State and Missouri, Kansas has other rivals, mostly in basketball, within and without the Big 12 Conference.

Texas Longhorns

A recent rival of Kansas, especially in basketball, has been the University of Texas. Since the two schools joined the same Conference in 1996, they have often competed for basketball dominance of the Big 12. Kansas and Texas met in the Big 12 Tournament final from 2006 through 2008, and again in 2011, with Kansas winning all four. It was Texas who broke Kansas' school- and conference-record 69-game homecourt winning streak in January 2011.

Oklahoma Sooners

Kansas and Oklahoma have a rivalry in basketball, though this rivalry has diminished in stature in recent years. The rivalry peaked in the 1980s, when Billy Tubbs

Billy Tubbs

Billy Tubbs is a former men's college basketball coach. The Tulsa, Oklahoma native has been the head coach of his alma mater Lamar University , the University of Oklahoma and Texas Christian University .Tubbs was known for his high scoring offense and full-court press defense.Tubbs achieved many...

 coached the Sooners.

In 1984, the Sooners took a 92-82 overtime decision over the Jayhawks in Lawrence to clinch the Big Eight title. The Sooners taunted the Jayhawks and cut down the Allen Fieldhouse nets. A few weeks later, Kansas exacted revenge in the finals of the Big Eight Tournament, pulling off a 79-78 upset of OU.

The most memorable clash between the two teams came in 1988. Oklahoma, which had defeated Kansas twice during the regular season, met the Jayhawks again in the NCAA National Finals in Kemper Arena

Kemper Arena

Kemper Arena is a 19,500 seat indoor arena, in Kansas City, Missouri.It is named for R. Crosby Kemper Sr., a member of the powerful Kemper financial clan and who donated $3.2 million, from his estate for the arena...

. The Jayhawks won the NCAA title with an 83-79 victory, fueled by Danny Manning's 31-point, 18-rebound effort.

The rivalry was briefly revived in the early 2000s, when Kelvin Sampson

Kelvin Sampson

Kelvin Sampson is an assistant coach of the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association. He previously was a men's college basketball coach at Montana Tech , Washington State University , the University of Oklahoma and Indiana University .-Early life and coaching:Sampson was born in the...

 put together his best Sooners teams. The Sooners knocked off the Jayhawks in the 2002 Big 12 Tournament finals - this after KU had gone 16-0 against conference opponents. In 2006, a young Kansas team overcame a 16-point deficit to beat Oklahoma 59-58. Since then, the rivalry has gone dormant, as Oklahoma has not fielded as powerful basketball teams as they formerly did. Kansas has not lost to Oklahoma since the 2005 season, Sampson's penultimate season as OU coach.

Oklahoma State Cowboys

A rivalry with Oklahoma State goes back to the early days of basketball, when Kansas coach Phog Allen and Oklahoma A&M coach Hank Iba were two of the top coaches in basketball. It has been described as a "fierce-but-friendly" rivalry. The rivalry declined after Iba's retirement from OSU, but was revived by Eddie Sutton

Eddie Sutton

Eddie Sutton is an American former college head coach with 36 years of Division I basketball coaching experience at Creighton, Arkansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma State , and the University of San Francisco...

, who regularly challenged Kansas for Big Eight titles in the early 1990s. Though OSU has not been the national power they were under Eddie Sutton, they have given Kansas trouble in recent years, upsetting the Jayhawks in Stillwater in 2008 and 2010. Current KU coach Bill Self is an OSU alumnus.

Kentucky Wildcats

Kansas and Kentucky are the two winningest programs in college basketball. Kentucky draws on its basketball success from legendary coach Adolph Rupp

Adolph Rupp

Adolph Frederick Rupp was one of the most successful coaches in the history of American college basketball. Rupp is fourth in total victories by a men's NCAA Division I college coach, winning 876 games in 41 years of coaching...

, a Kansas alum who played for Phog Allen

Phog Allen

Forrest Clare "Phog" Allen was an American basketball and baseball player, coach of American football, basketball, and baseball, college athletics administrator, and osteopathic physician...

 in the 1920s.

Kansas and Kentucky were annual opponents in the 1970s through the mid 1980s. Kentucky leads the all-time series with Kansas 20-6. Kentucky won 16 of the first 17 matchups with Kansas, including 11 straight from 1974 to 1984. Kansas broke that losing streak with an 83-66 victory over the Wildcats in December 1985, en route to a 35-win season and the 1986 NCAA Final Four.

Since then, the rivalry has been played infrequently, but when it has been played it has usually commanded national attention. Perhaps the most memorable game in the series came in December 1989, when #2-ranked Kansas rolled to a 150-95 victory over Rick Pitino

Rick Pitino

Rick Pitino is an American basketball coach. Since 2001, he has been the head coach at the University of Louisville. He has also served as head coach at Boston University, Providence College and the University of Kentucky, leading that program to the NCAA championship in 1996...

's first Kentucky team, which had been decimated by NCAA probation for major violations. Kansas gained some ground in the rivalry in the mid-2000s, when Kansas earned its first victory over Kentucky in Lexington

Lexington, Kentucky

Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...

 in 2005, 65-59. The following year, the first meeting between the two teams in Allen Fieldhouse since the 1989 game, Kansas again routed Kentucky 73-46. The next season, the two teams met in the second round of the 2007 NCAA Tournament, and Kansas routed Kentucky again, 88-71, in Tubby Smith

Tubby Smith

Orlando "Tubby" Smith is an American college basketball coach. He is currently the men's basketball head coach at the University of Minnesota...

's final game as UK coach.

In the most recent matchup, the two teams met in Madison Square Garden

Madison Square Garden

Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...

 in New York City

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

 for the Champions' Classic, and UK defeated KU 75-65.

Arizona Wildcats

Although Kansas and Arizona had met in previous seasons, this rivalry was born with the 1997 NCAA Tournament, when the two teams met in the Sweet Sixteen. Kansas, the #1-seed in the Southeast Region, entered the game 34-1 and ranked #1 in the nation. But Arizona pulled a shocking 85-82 upset, en route to upsetting three #1-seeds and the 1997 NCAA title.

Since then, Kansas and Arizona have had something of a rivalry, playing each other every now and then. The two teams played another memorable game in the 2003 NCAA Elite Eight. Arizona had already defeated Kansas earlier that season 91-74 in Lawrence. But Kansas got revenge, beating the Wildcats 78-75 to advance to the Final Four. The Jayhawks would finish as national runners-up that year.

UCLA Bruins

Kansas and UCLA have been on-and-off rivals since the 1960s, when UCLA was beginning its dominance of college basketball. UCLA leads the all-time series with Kansas 10-7, but Kansas is 7-2 against UCLA since 1995. Kansas earned its first-ever victory over UCLA in December 1995, when the two teams met in Allen Fieldhouse. KU fell behind 41-22 in the first half and trailed 41-26. But the Jayhawks made a defensive switch to a 2-3 zone to stifle UCLA, fueling a giant comeback that resulted in an 85-70 KU win. The 19-point deficit was the largest deficit any KU team had ever overcome in a victory, a record that would stand until 2007.

UCLA has had its share of highlights, however. In January 2002, the Bruins upset #1-ranked KU 87-77 in Pauley Pavilion

Pauley Pavilion

Edwin W. Pauley Pavilion, commonly known as Pauley Pavilion, is an indoor arena located in the Westwood Village district of Los Angeles, California, on the campus of UCLA. It is home to the UCLA Bruins men's and women's basketball teams...

. And Kansas has never beaten UCLA in an NCAA Tournament game. When the two teams met in the 2007 NCAA Elite Eight, UCLA defeated KU 68-55 to advance to the Final Four.

The two teams played a thriller in December 2010, when Kansas and UCLA played a thrilling game in Allen Fieldhouse that ended in a narrow 77-76 Kansas victory. Most recently, the teams met in the 2011 Maui Invitational, where Kansas won a 72-56 decision over UCLA in the semifinal round.

Larry Brown

Larry Brown

-Athletes:* Larry Brown , former NHL ice hockey player* Larry Brown , , NCAA, ABA and NBA player and coach-American football:* Larry Brown , NFL cornerback and Super Bowl MVP...

 was once the coach of both UCLA from 1979-81 and Kansas from 1983-88.

Dormant Rivalries

Kansas had a rivalry with the Nebraska Cornhuskers

Nebraska Cornhuskers

The Nebraska Cornhuskers is the name given to several sports teams of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. The university is a member of the Big Ten Conference...

, though that rivalry had more to do with who had the better sports program, with Kansas priding itself on its basketball prowess and Nebraska on its football dominance. This rivalry of sports cultures has gone dormant with Nebraska's departure for the Big 10 Conference in 2011.

Kansas also had a rivalry of sorts with the Wichita State Shockers

Wichita State Shockers

The Shockers are the athletic teams at Wichita State University, who compete in the NCAA Division I Missouri Valley Conference. Wichita State is well known for its fan support and its baseball program, which has the highest winning percentange of any college baseball team over the past 31 years...

 in basketball, though this rivalry has not been played since the 1990s. KU leads the all-time series with its in-state rival 12-2, but WSU had a couple of bright spots in the rivalry. The Shockers deposed the Jayhawks in the 1981 NCAA Sweet Sixteen. And in the 1986-1987 season, Wichita State scored a 54-49 upset of Danny Manning

Danny Manning

Daniel Ricardo "Danny" Manning is a retired American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association. He is an assistant basketball coach at his alma mater, the University of Kansas Jayhawks. Manning won the National Championship with the Jayhawks in 1988 as a player, and...

-led Kansas. Although the two teams have not met in basketball since January 1993, they remain heated baseball rivals.

In the 1970s and 1980s, Kansas had a rivalry with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Notre Dame's nickname is inherited from Irish immigrant soldiers who fought in the Civil War with the Union's Irish Brigade, , recollected among other places in the poetry of Joyce Kilmer who served with one of the Irish Brigade regiments during World War I...

, but this rivalry has not been played since the 1987-88 season. Notre Dame leads the series 9-3.

During the Larry Brown

Larry Brown

-Athletes:* Larry Brown , former NHL ice hockey player* Larry Brown , , NCAA, ABA and NBA player and coach-American football:* Larry Brown , NFL cornerback and Super Bowl MVP...

 era at Kansas, the Jayhawks also had a rivalry with the North Carolina State Wolfpack, due in part to resentment by NC State fans that Brown successfully recruited Danny Manning

Danny Manning

Daniel Ricardo "Danny" Manning is a retired American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association. He is an assistant basketball coach at his alma mater, the University of Kansas Jayhawks. Manning won the National Championship with the Jayhawks in 1988 as a player, and...

 out of Greensboro, North Carolina

Greensboro, North Carolina

Greensboro is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third-largest city by population in North Carolina and the largest city in Guilford County and the surrounding Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. According to the 2010 U.S...

 to play at KU, even though it seemed at the time that NC State was Manning's top college choice. KU and NCSU clashed four times during Brown's tenure as KU coach, with Kansas winning all four meetings. The teams have not met since 1996, when Roy Williams

Roy Williams

-Sports:*Roy Williams , New Zealand athlete*Roy Williams , 1952 Summer Olympics Canadian team member...

 was coach. KU leads the series with NCSU 10-1.

Some Kansas fans consider the North Carolina Tar Heels

North Carolina Tar Heels

The North Carolina Tar Heels are the athletic teams for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The name Tar Heel is a nickname used to refer to individuals from the state of North Carolina, the Tar Heel State...

 to be a rival, especially since the departure of Roy Williams

Roy Williams

-Sports:*Roy Williams , New Zealand athlete*Roy Williams , 1952 Summer Olympics Canadian team member...

 from Kansas for the coaching position at UNC. The two teams rarely meet; usually when they do, it is in an NCAA Tournament setting. UNC leads the all-time series with KU 6-3.

Notable athletes

• Phog Allen
  Phog Allen
  Forrest Clare "Phog" Allen was an American basketball and baseball player, coach of American football, basketball, and baseball, college athletics administrator, and osteopathic physician...
  
   played basketball at KU under James Naismith. He was known as the "Father of Basketball Coaching" as he coached and mentored Hall of Fame coaches Dutch Lonberg, Adolph Rupp, Ralph Miller, and Dean Smith. Allen, Lonberg, Rupp, Miller, and Smith (all KU alumni and basketball players) amassed 3,481 career wins as head coaches. No other five alumni from any other school come close to this figure. When Allen retired he was the leader in all-time wins (746) until passed by Rupp, who held it until passed by Smith. Allen also founded the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) in 1927, which went on to create the NCAA Tournament in 1939. While at Kansas, he was also a member of the Football and Baseball teams.
• Bob Allison
  Bob Allison
  William Robert "Bob" Allison was born in Raytown, Missouri and was a Major League Baseball outfielder and right-handed batter who played in the American League for the Washington Senators / Minnesota Twins from to ....
  
  , Major League Baseball player, Minnesota Twins
  Minnesota Twins
  The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
  
  
• Ferrell Anderson
  Ferrell Anderson
  Ferrell Jack Anderson , nicknamed "Andy", was a catcher in Major League Baseball.Anderson was signed by the New York Yankees in 1939 after spending four years as an all conference football tackle at the University of Kansas. He was purchased by the Brooklyn Dodgers from the Yankees system in 1942...
  
  , Major League Baseball catcher, Brooklyn Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals
  St. Louis Cardinals
  The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
  
  
• Darrell Arthur
  Darrell Arthur
  Darrell Antwonne Arthur is 6'9", American professional basketball player for the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA. He plays the power forward and small forward positions. Arthur played for the University of Kansas in college for two seasons, including the 2007–2008 national championship team...
  
  , NBA player, forward for the Memphis Grizzlies
  Memphis Grizzlies
  The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
  
  
• Charles B. Black, Basketball player and only four-time All-American in KU history (2 of those years he was Consensus All-American). First 1,000 point scorer at KU.
• Charlie T. Black, Basketball player, was member of 1922 and 1923 Helms National Championship teams. Two-time All-American and 1924 Helms National Player of the Year.
• B. H. Born
  B. H. Born
  Bert H. "B. H." Born is an American retired basketball center. After graduating from Medicine Lodge High School in 1950, he played for the Kansas Jayhawks from 1951 to 1954. In the 1951–52 season, Born was a reserve behind Clyde Lovellette, averaging 1.6 points per game...
  
  , Basketball player. Member of 1952 National Championship team and 1953 National runner-up team. 1953 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player. In the 1953 National Final game he scored 26 points, pulled down 15 rebounds, and blocked 13 shots. First-round NBA Draft pick who declined to play in the league. Helped recruit Wilt Chamberlain.
• Bill Bridges, Basketball player, 3-time NBA All Star. 1975 NBA Champion. 2-time NBA All-Defensive Team. 13-year NBA career.
• Gilbert Brown
  Gilbert Brown
  Gilbert Jesse Brown, is a former nose tackle who played for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . Brown played 125 Packers games recording 292 tackles and seven sacks. Nicknamed "The Gravedigger," in honor of his celebratory dance following a thunderous tackle, Brown played in...
  
  , 10-year NFL defensive tackle, Green Bay Packers
  Green Bay Packers
  The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
  
  
• Isaac Byrd
  Isaac Byrd
  Isaac Byrd II is a former professional American football wide receiver in the National Football League for the Tennessee Titans and Carolina Panthers. He played college football at the University of Kansas....
  
  , 6-year NFL wide receiver, Tennessee Titans
  Tennessee Titans
  The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
  
   and Carolina Panthers
  Carolina Panthers
  The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
  
  
• Mario Chalmers
  Mario Chalmers
  Almario Vernard "Mario" Chalmers is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the NBA. He was selected 34th overall in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves...
  
  , NBA Player, Hit the "Shot heard 'round the world" to send the 2008 NCAA Championship Game into overtime, eventually beating Memphis for the 2008 National Championship Title, currently plays for Miami Heat
  Miami Heat
  The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
  
  
• Wilt Chamberlain
  Wilt Chamberlain
  Wilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain was an American professional NBA basketball player for the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers; he also played for the Harlem Globetrotters prior to playing in the NBA...
  
  , two-time All American, Final Four MVP, National Basketball Hall of Fame, Top 50 All Time Greatest NBA players
• Anthony Collins, All-American, NFL player, offensive tackle for the Cincinnati Bengals
  Cincinnati Bengals
  The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
  
  
• Nick Collison
  Nick Collison
  Nicholas John Collison is an American professional basketball player, currently a power forward for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA, and well known in basketball circles for his accomplishments at the University of Kansas.- Early life and high school career :Nick Collison was born in Orange...
  
  , NBA Player, former Team USA member, power forward for the Oklahoma City Thunder
  Oklahoma City Thunder
  The Oklahoma City Thunder are a professional basketball franchise based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ; their home court is at Chesapeake Energy Arena....
  
  
• Jon Cornish
  Jon Cornish
  Jon Cornish is a football running back who currently plays for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League.-Collegiate career:...
  
  , 2006 First Team All-Big 12, second round draft pick of the Calgary Stampeders
  Calgary Stampeders
  The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
  
  
• Nolan Cromwell
  Nolan Cromwell
  Nolan Neil Cromwell is the wide receiver coach for the St. Louis Rams. He was an All-Pro safety for the Los Angeles Rams of the NFL and was the offensive coordinator at Texas A&M University. Cromwell played for the Rams from 1977 through 1987 and was named to the Pro Bowl in four consecutive...
  
  , 1975 Big 8 Offensive Player of the Year, All-Pro safety, Los Angeles Rams
  St. Louis Rams
  The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
  
  
• Glenn Cunningham
  Glenn Cunningham (runner)
  Glenn V. Cunningham was an American distance runner and athlete considered by many the greatest American miler of all time. He received the James E...
  
  , two-time US Olympic Runner, Silver Medalist 1936 Berlin
  Berlin
  Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
  
   Olympics
  Olympic Games
  The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
  
  , dominant runner of 1930s
• Bobby Douglass
  Bobby Douglass
  Robert Gilchrist Douglass is a former American football quarterback in the NFL, who played most of his career with the Chicago Bears, who drafted him in the second round of the 1969 NFL Draft. During his career, he also played for the San Diego Chargers, the New Orleans Saints, the Oakland...
  
  , All-American QB, 13 year NFL player
• Paul Endacott
  Paul Endacott
  Paul Endacott was a well-known collegiate basketball player in the 1920s. The Lawrence, Kansas native attended University of Kansas from 1919 to 1923. Playing under Hall of Fame coach Phog Allen, Endacott led Kansas to consecutive Helms Foundation national championships in 1922 and 1923. In 1923...
  
  , Basketball player and member of 1922 and 1923 Helms National Championship teams. Named 1923 Helms National Player of the Year.
• Ray Evans
  Ray Evans
  Raymond Bernard Evans was an American songwriter. He was a partner in a composing and songwriting duo with Jay Livingston, known for the songs they composed for films...
  
   starred both on the hardwood and the gridiron. Playing both offense and defense, he led KU to the 1948 Orange Bowl. Only player in college football history to lead the nation in passing (on offense) and interceptions (on defense) in the same season. Single-season KU leader in interceptions with 10, as well as career leader with 17. All-American in football and in basketball. Drafted by the New York Knicks and Pittsburgh Steelers. His time in college was interrupted by three years of service in the United States Army Air Forces. Therefore, his All-American Basketball season was 1943 and his All-American Football season was 1947. He is the only player at KU to have his jersey retired both in football and basketball. Member of the College Football Hall of Fame.
• Howard "Rope" Engleman, basketball player, 2nd Consensus All-American in KU history. Top scorer in 1940 NCAA Tournament. Later an Assistant Coach under Phog Allen and coached 14 games as interim coach in 1946-47 season while Allen was out with health issues.
• Matt Gogel
  Matt Gogel
  Matthew John Gogel is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour.Gogel was born in Denver, Colorado and grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he attended Bishop Kelley High School. He has lived most of his adult life in Kansas. He attended the University of...
  
  , golf, PGA Tour winner of 2002 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am
• Drew Gooden
  Drew Gooden
  Andrew Melvin "Drew" Gooden is an American professional basketball player in the NBA who plays for the Milwaukee Bucks. Gooden is a 6'10", 250 lbs...
  
  , NBA player, power forward
  Power forward (basketball)
  Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low...
  
   for the Milwaukee Bucks
  Milwaukee Bucks
  The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
  
  
• Charles Gordon
  Charles Gordon
  Charles Gordon may refer to:People:* Charles Gordon , American cornerback* Charles Gordon , Canadian football player* Charles Gordon , watercolor artist...
  
  , NFL player, cornerback for the Minnesota Vikings
  Minnesota Vikings
  The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
  
  
• John Hadl
  John Hadl
  John Willard Hadl is a former collegiate and professional football player.Hadl was born in Lawrence, Kansas. After playing halfback on both offense and defense at the University of Kansas as a sophomore, Hadl played quarterback for his last two years at Kansas, and was selected as the school's...
  
  , two-time All-American, one year as a halfback and one year as quarterback; 16 year NFL player
• Justin Hartwig
  Justin Hartwig
  Justin Hartwig is an American football center who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the sixth round of the 2002 NFL Draft...
  
  , NFL player, center for the Carolina Panthers
  Carolina Panthers
  The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
  
  , holds distinction of being the NFL's highest-paid center
• Kirk Hinrich
  Kirk Hinrich
  Kirk James Hinrich is an American professional basketball player, currently a guard for the NBA's Atlanta Hawks. He has also been a member of the USA National Team....
  
  , NBA player, point guard
  Point guard
  Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
  
   for the Atlanta Hawks
  Atlanta Hawks
  The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
  
  
• Darnell Jackson
  Darnell Jackson
  Darnell Edred Jackson is an American professional basketball player for BC Donetsk in Ukraine. He is 6'9" and is 253 lbs. Jackson played for the University of Kansas in college for four seasons, including the 2008 national championship team...
  
  , NBA player, forward for the Sacramento Kings
  Sacramento Kings
  The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
  
  
• Bill Johnson
  Bill Johnson
  Bill Johnson may refer to:Arts and Entertainment*Bill Johnson , American actor known for The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2...
  
  , Basketball player, 2-time All-Big 6. Member basketball Hall of Fame.
• Adrian Jones, NFL player, offensive lineman for the Houston Texans
  Houston Texans
  The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
  
  
• Raef LaFrentz
  Raef LaFrentz
  Raef Andrew LaFrentz is a retired American professional basketball power forward and center who played in the NBA from 1998 to 2009. Born and raised in Iowa, LaFrentz attended the University of Kansas and was drafted in 1998 by the Denver Nuggets...
  
  , NBA player, power forward for the Portland Trail Blazers
  Portland Trail Blazers
  The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
  
  , retired
• Dutch Lonborg
  Dutch Lonborg
  Arthur C. "Dutch" Lonborg was an American collegiate basketball and football coach.-Basketball:The Gardner, Illinois native coached for 23 years at McPherson College, Washburn College, and Northwestern University...
  
  , Basketball player under Phog Allen. Member of the Basketball Hall of Fame as a Head Coach.
• Clyde Lovellette, Basketball player, led KU to the 1952 NCAA Tournament championship. The only player in NCAA history to lead the nation in scoring and then win the National Championship in the same season. 1952 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player. Scored a then record 141 points in the 1952 NCAA Tournament. 3-time All-American (twice Consensus All-American) and 1952 Helms College Player of the Year. 1952 Olympic Gold Medalist while earning the Most Outstanding Player and leading the team in scoring. 9th overall pick in the 1952 NBA Draft. 4-time NBA All Star, 3-time NBA champion, and Basketball Hall of Fame member.
• Danny Manning
  Danny Manning
  Daniel Ricardo "Danny" Manning is a retired American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association. He is an assistant basketball coach at his alma mater, the University of Kansas Jayhawks. Manning won the National Championship with the Jayhawks in 1988 as a player, and...
  
  , Basketball player and current assistant coach for the Kansas Jayhawks. Two-time All-America
  All-America
  An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
  
  n 1988 recipient of the Naismith
  Naismith College Player of the Year
  The Naismith College Player of the Year is an annual basketball award given by the Atlanta Tipoff Club to the top men's and women's collegiate basketball players. It is named in honor of the inventor of basketball , Dr. James Naismith....
  
   and Wooden Awards, Big 8 Player of the Decade for 1980s, 2-time NBA All-Star, National Collegiate Basketball Hall Of Fame
  College Basketball Experience
  The College Basketball Experience featuring the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame is a fan interactive facility located in Kansas City, Missouri...
  
  r.
• Curtis McClinton
  Curtis McClinton
  Curtis McClinton is a former collegiate and professional American football player.McClinton attended Wichita High School North in Wichita, Kansas before attending the University of Kansas. A three-time All-Big Eight selection as a Jayhawk, McClinton led the team in rushing in 1959 and rushed for...
  
  , three-time All-Pro running back, Kansas City Chiefs
  Kansas City Chiefs
  The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
  
  
• Mike McCormack, NFL Hall of Fame tackle. Former NFL head coach and GM.
• David McMillan, NFL player, linebacker for the Cleveland Browns
  Cleveland Browns
  The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
  
  
• Ralph Miller
  Ralph Miller
  Ralph H. Miller was an American basketball coach. A native of Chanute, Kansas, Miller coached at the University of Wichita , the University of Iowa and Oregon State University , compiling a 657-382 overall record in 38 seasons combined...
  
  , Basketball and Football player at KU. Assistant under Phog Allen. Went on to become Basketball Hall of Famer as a Head Coach with 657 wins.
• Billy Mills
  Billy Mills
  William Mervin Mills or "Billy" Mills, also known as Makata Taka Hela , is the second Native American to win an Olympic gold medal....
  
  , First American to win gold medal in the 10,000m run, 1964 Tokyo
  Tokyo
  , ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
  
   Olympic Games
  Olympic Games
  The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
  
  
• Bill Nieder
  Bill Nieder
  William Henry Nieder is an American athlete who mainly competed in the shot put. He was born in Hempstead, New York....
  
  , Former record holder in High School shot put, first college Athlete to surpass 60 feet with the 16-pound shot, two National championships, Silver Medal 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games, Gold Medal 1960 Rome Olympic Games
• Moran Norris
  Moran Norris
  Torrance Moran Norris ; born June 16, 1978) is an American football fullback for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL Draft...
  
  , NFL player, fullback for the San Francisco 49ers
  San Francisco 49ers
  The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
  
  
• Al Oerter
  Al Oerter
  Alfred Adolf Oerter, Jr. was an American athlete, and a four-time Olympic Champion in the discus throw....
  
  , Olympic gold medal discus throw
  Discus throw
  The discus throw is an event in track and field athletics competition, in which an athlete throws a heavy disc—called a discus—in an attempt to mark a farther distance than his or her competitors. It is an ancient sport, as evidenced by the 5th century BC Myron statue, Discobolus...
  
  er in four consecutive Olympiad
  Olympiad
  An Olympiad is a period of four years, associated with the Olympic Games of Classical Greece. In the Hellenistic period, beginning with Ephorus, Olympiads were used as calendar epoch....
  
  s
• Rhino Page
  Rhino Page
  Ryan "Rhino" Page is a left-handed bowler on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour, and was the 2008 PBA Rookie of the Year. He is also a former U.S. Amateur champion, winning the event in 2005. A San Diego, California native, Page now resides in Dade City, FL...
  
  , MVP of the 2004 Intercollegiate Bowling Championships, now a 3-time titleist on the PBA Tour
  Professional Bowlers Association
  The Professional Bowlers Association is the major sanctioning body for the sport of professional ten-pin bowling in the United States. Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, the PBA membership consists of almost 4,300 members worldwide...
  
  
• Paul Pierce
  Paul Pierce
  Paul Anthony Pierce , nicknamed The Truth, is an American professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics of the NBA. He earned First Team All-America honors in his junior year at Kansas, and has been a starter every season since being selected by the Celtics with the 10th overall pick in the...
  
  , NBA player, small forward
  Small forward
  The small forward, or colloquially known as three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically somewhat shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers, but on occasion are just as tall...
  
   for the Boston Celtics
  Boston Celtics
  The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
  
  , 2008 NBA Finals MVP, MVP of the Big 12 Conference Tournament in both 1997 and 1998 NBA
• Willie Pless
  Willie Pless
  Willie Pless is a retired Canadian football linebacker in the Canadian Football League. He played for the Toronto Argonauts, BC Lions, Edmonton Eskimos, and Saskatchewan Roughriders, winning the 1993 Grey Cup with the Eskimos...
  
  , All-American LB
  Linebacker
  A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
  
  , CFL
  Canadian Football League
  The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
  
   Hall of Famer, all-time tackling leader at KU and the CFL
• Scot Pollard
  Scot Pollard
  Scot L. Pollard is a retired American professional basketball player. In an eleven-year NBA career, he played for five teams, spending the bulk of his career with the Sacramento Kings and the Indiana Pacers...
  
  , NBA player, power forward for the Boston Celtics
  Boston Celtics
  The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
  
  , retired.
• Fred Pralle
  Fred Pralle
  Fred Pralle was an American college basketball standout at the University of Kansas from 1935–36 to 1937–38. In his three varsity seasons, Kansas won all three Big Six Conference regular season championships. Pralle led the Jayhawks in scoring in each of his last two seasons, and as a senior he...
  
  , Basketball player, 2-time All-American. First Jayhawk to win Consensus All-American honors.
• Nick Reid
  Nick Reid
  For the Congressional candidate in Wisconsin see Nick Reid Nicholas Gregory Reid was an American football linebacker who played college football for the Kansas Jayhawks. He signed a free agent contract with the Kansas City Chiefs on May 2, 2006. In February 2007, Reid was resigned by the Chiefs to...
  
  , 2-time All-Big 12, 2005 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year
• Steve Renko
  Steve Renko
  Steve Renko, Jr. is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Montreal Expos , Chicago Cubs , Chicago White Sox , Oakland Athletics , Boston Red Sox , California Angels and Kansas City Royals .He helped the Angels win the 1982 American League Western...
  
  , Major League Baseball pitcher
  Pitcher
  In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
  
  , California Angels
  Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
  The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
  
  
• John Riggins
  John Riggins
  Robert John Riggins, nicknamed "The Diesel", is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the New York Jets and Washington Redskins. Riggins was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1992....
  
  , NFL Hall of Fame running back, MVP of Super Bowl XVII
  Super Bowl XVII
  Super Bowl XVII was an American football game played on January 30, 1983 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the strike-shortened 1982 regular season...
  
  
• Dave Robisch
  Dave Robisch
  David George Robisch is a retired American professional basketball player in the ABA and NBA. Robisch played at the University of Kansas, where he was initiated into the Sigma Nu Fraternity...
  
  , All-American forward, 2-time Big 8
  Big Eight Conference
  The Big Eight Conference, a former NCAA-affiliated Division I-A college athletic association that sponsored football, was formed in January 1907 as the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association by its charter member schools: the University of Kansas, University of Missouri, University...
  
   Player of the Year, 13-year ABA/NBA player
• Adolph Rupp
  Adolph Rupp
  Adolph Frederick Rupp was one of the most successful coaches in the history of American college basketball. Rupp is fourth in total victories by a men's NCAA Division I college coach, winning 876 games in 41 years of coaching...
  
  , Basketball Player under Phog Allen. Member of 1922 and 1923 Helms National Championship teams. Retired as winningest college basketball Head Coach with 876 wins. Member of Basketball Hall of Fame.
• Brandon Rush
  Brandon Rush
  Brandon Leray Rush is an American basketball player. On July 15, 2008, Rush signed a contract to play basketball for the Indiana Pacers. He was drafted in 2008 by the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers. Rush played for the University of Kansas in college for three seasons, including the 2007–2008...
  
  , NBA Player, shooting guard for the Indiana Pacers
  Indiana Pacers
  The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
  
  
• Jim Ryun
  Jim Ryun
  James Ronald Ryun is an American former track athlete and politician, who was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1996 to 2007, representing the 2nd District in Kansas. In the 2006 election, Ryun was defeated by Democratic challenger Nancy Boyda...
  
  , World record holder in mile, Olympic silver medalist, former Congressman
• Tony Sands (often referred to as "Touchdown" Tony Sands or "Tuxedo" Tony Sands), All-American running back, 1991 Big 8 Offensive Player of the Year
• Wes Santee
  Wes Santee
  David Wesley Santee was an American middle distance runner and athlete who competed mainly in the 1,500 meters and mile events....
  
  , American middle distance runner and athlete, 1952 Olympics
• Gale Sayers
  Gale Sayers
  Gale Eugene Sayers also known as "The Kansas Comet", is a former professional football player in the National Football League who spent his entire career with the Chicago Bears....
  
   (the Kansas Comet), 2-time All American, NFL Hall of Fame running back, Chicago Bears
  Chicago Bears
  The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
  
  
• Wayne Simien
  Wayne Simien
  Wayne Anthony Simien, Jr. is an American former professional basketball player, who last played with Spain's Cáceres Ciudad de Baloncesto. He was a member of the Miami Heat team that won the 2005–06 NBA championship.-High school career:Growing up, Simien was a University of Kansas fan due to his...
  
  , 2-time All American, first-round draft pick by the Miami Heat
  Miami Heat
  The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
  
  
• Dean Smith
  Dean Smith
  Dean Edwards Smith is a retired American head coach of men's college basketball. Originally from Emporia, Kansas, Smith has been called a “coaching legend” by the Basketball Hall of Fame. Smith is best known for his successful 36-year coaching tenure at the University of North Carolina at Chapel...
  
   played basketball under Phog Allen. Also played baseball. Member of the 1952 National Championship Basketball Team. Assistant Coach at KU for 1 season. Retired as winningest college basketball Head Coach with 879 wins. Member of Basketball Hall of Fame.
• Marilynn Smith
  Marilynn Smith
  Marilynn Smith is an American professional golfer. She was one of the thirteen founders of the LPGA.Smith was born in Topeka, Kansas. She attended the University of Kansas and joined the LPGA Tour in its inaugural 1950 season. She won 21 events on the tour between 1954 and 1972, including two...
  
  , 21-time winner on the LPGA Tour. Inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame
  World Golf Hall of Fame
  The World Golf Hall of Fame is located at World Golf Village near St. Augustine, Florida, in the United States, and it is unusual among sports halls of fame in that a single site serves both men and women. It is supported by a consortium of 26 golf organizations from all over the world.The Hall of...
  
   in 2006
• Bud Stallworth, Basketball player, 1972 Big 8 Player of the Year. Dropped 50 on Missouri in 1972 game. 7th overall pick in 1972 NBA draft.
• Dana Stubblefield
  Dana Stubblefield
  Dana William Stubblefield is a former American football defensive tackle in the National Football League. After graduating from Taylor High School in North Bend, Ohio, Stubblefield attended the University of Kansas....
  
  , All-American, 3-time All-Pro defensive tackle, 1997 NFL Defensive Player of the Year
• Aqib Talib
  Aqib Talib
  Aqib Talib is an American football cornerback who plays for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft.-Early years:...
  
  , All-American, 2008 NFL Draft Pick, first round – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
  
  
• Darnell Valentine
  Darnell Valentine
  Darnell Terrell Valentine is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball at the University of Kansas where he was a three-time Academic All-American and was a member of the 1980 Summer Olympics men's basketball team...
  
  , All-American guard, 3-time Academic All-American, 9-year NBA player
• Jacque Vaughn
  Jacque Vaughn
  Jacque Vaughn is an American former professional basketball player. He last played for the San Antonio Spurs of the NBA and is currently serving as an assistant coach for the team.-High school career:...
  
  , All-American player, won a championship with the San Antonio Spurs
  San Antonio Spurs
  The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
  
  , retired, current assistant coach for the Spurs
• Rex Walters
  Rex Walters
  -External links:...
  
  , played on KU Final Four team in 1993, played seven years in NBA, current coach of the University of San Francisco
  University of San Francisco
  The University of San Francisco , is a private, Jesuit/Catholic university located in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1855, USF was established as the first university in San Francisco. It is the second oldest institution for higher learning in California and the tenth-oldest university of...
  
   men's basketball team.
• Walt Wesley
  Walt Wesley
  Walter Wesley is an American former professional basketball player.A 6'11" center from the University of Kansas, Wesley played ten seasons in the National Basketball Association as a member of the Cincinnati Royals, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Phoenix Suns, Capital Bullets, Philadelphia...
  
  , Basketball Player, 2nd team All-American. 6th overall pick in 1966 NBA Draft. 10 year NBA career.
• Jo Jo White
  Jo Jo White
  Joseph Henry "Jo Jo" White is an American former professional basketball player.-Life and career:White was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the son of a minister...
  
  , All-American guard, 12-year NBA player, member of two NBA champion teams, number retired by the Boston Celtics
  Boston Celtics
  The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
  
  
• Lynette Woodard, 4-time All-American, Major college basketball's career Women's Scoring leader, Gold Medalist 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games, First woman ever to play with Harlem Globetrotters
  Harlem Globetrotters
  The Harlem Globetrotters are an exhibition basketball team that combines athleticism, theater and comedy. The executive offices for the team are currently in downtown Phoenix, Arizona; the team is owned by Shamrock Holdings, which oversees the various investments of the Roy E. Disney family.Over...
  
  , WNBA player, former Assistant and Interim Head Coach for the Kansas Jayhawks, National Basketball Hall of Fame, Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
• Gary Woodland
  Gary Woodland
  -Early life:Woodland was born in Topeka, Kansas, and attended Shawnee Heights High School in the suburb of Tecumseh. After high school, he attended Washburn University on a basketball scholarship, but left after his freshman year to take up a golf scholarship at University of Kansas...
  
  , professional golfer on the PGA Tour
  PGA Tour
  The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
  
  
• Julian Wright
  Julian Wright
  Julian Emil-Jamaal Wright is an American professional basketball player who last played for the NBA's Toronto Raptors. He played collegiately for the University of Kansas.-High school career:...
  
  , NBA player, power forward for the Toronto Raptors
  Toronto Raptors
  The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
  
  

Athletic directors

James Naismith

James Naismith

The first game of "Basket Ball" was played in December 1891. In a handwritten report, Naismith described the circumstances of the inaugural match; in contrast to modern basketball, the players played nine versus nine, handled a soccer ball, not a basketball, and instead of shooting at two hoops,...

 also served as athletic director in some fashion in the years prior to Hamilton. Hamilton is the first official athletic director.

• W. O. Hamilton
  W. O. Hamilton
  William Oliver Hamilton was the Kansas Jayhawks' third head basketball coach, from 1910 to 1919. Coach Hamilton bridged the gap between Phog Allen's two tenures as Kansas' coach....
  
   – 1911–19
• Phog Allen
  Phog Allen
  Forrest Clare "Phog" Allen was an American basketball and baseball player, coach of American football, basketball, and baseball, college athletics administrator, and osteopathic physician...
  
   – 1919–37
• Gwinn Henry
  Gwinn Henry
  Gwinn Henry was an American football player, track athlete, coach, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head coach at Howard Payne University , the College of Emporia , the University of Missouri , the University of New Mexico , and the University of Kansas , compiling...
  
   – 1938–42
• Karl Klooz – 1943 (interim)
• Ernie Quigley
  Ernie Quigley
  Ernest Cosmos "Ernie" Quigley was a Canadian-born American sports official who became notable both as a basketball referee and as an umpire in Major League Baseball...
  
   – 1944–49
• Arthur Lonborg – 1950–63
• Wade R. Stinson – 1964–72
• Clyde Walker – 1973–77
• Bob Marcum – 1978–81
• Del Shankel – 1981 (interim)
• Jim Lessig – 1982
• Del Shankel – 1982 (interim)
• Monte Johnson – 1982–87
• Bob Frederick – 1987–2001
• Richard Konzem – 2001 (interim)
• Allen Bohl – 2001–03
• Drue Jennings – 2003 (interim)
• Lew Perkins
  Lew Perkins
  Lew Perkins is a former Director of Athletics, most recently at the University of Kansas. Perkins joined KU in June 2003, taking over for Al Bohl...
  
   – 2003–2010
• Sean Lester – 2010 (interim)
• Sheahon Zenger
  Sheahon Zenger
  Dr. Sheahon Zenger is an American university sports administrator and a former assistant American football coach. Dr. Zenger is currently the Director of Athletics at the University of Kansas, replacing Lew Perkins. He was formerly Director of Athletics at Illinois State University. Dr. Zenger...
  
  – 2011–present

Further reading

• University of Kansas Traditions: The Jayhawk
• Kirke Mechem, "The Mythical Jayhawk", Kansas Historical Quarterly XIII: 1 (February 1944), pp. 3–15. A tongue-in-cheek history and description of the Mythical Jayhawk.

External links

• Kansas Athletics, the official KU Athletics site
• Kansas.com, The Wichita Eagle's coverage
• KUsports.com, The Lawrence Journal-Worlds coverage of KU sports