Former Kansas men’s basketball coach Ted Owens will be honored with the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award during a black-tie banquet Aug. 4 at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City.
The award, previously known as the Jim Thorpe Lifetime Achievement Award, is the highest honor presented by the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame. It recognizes individuals whose careers and lives have left a lasting impact and inspired others to pursue excellence. Owens will become just the 11th recipient since the honor was established in 1989.
A native of Hollis, Oklahoma, Owens was inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame in 2009. He joins a prestigious list of past Lifetime Achievement honorees that includes Johnny Bench, Barry Switzer, Tom Osborne, Allie Reynolds and Abe Lemons.
Owens played three seasons at the University of Oklahoma (1949-51) and began his coaching career at Cameron State Junior College, now Cameron University, in Lawton. He led Cameron’s basketball program to a 93-24 record in four seasons, reaching the national junior college semifinals three times. He also coached the Cameron baseball team to the 1958 NJCAA national title.
Owens joined the Kansas coaching staff in 1960 and took over as head coach in 1964 following the resignation of Dick Harp. He led the Jayhawks for 19 seasons, compiling a 348-182 record from 1964 to 1983. He ranks fourth all-time in program wins behind Bill Self, Phog Allen and Roy Williams.
During his tenure, Kansas claimed six Big Eight regular-season titles and appeared in seven NCAA Tournaments. Owens led the Jayhawks to the Final Four in 1971 and 1974 and to the NIT championship game in 1968. He was named Big Eight Coach of the Year five times and earned National Coach of the Year honors from Basketball Weekly in 1978.
Owens coached five All-Americans at Kansas: Jo Jo White, Darnell Valentine, Dave Robisch, Bud Stallworth and Walter Wesley, all of whom have their jerseys retired in Allen Fieldhouse.