Oct 29, 2024

🏀 Hutch High and HutchCC grad leads Washburn into exhibition game at No. 1 Kansas

Posted Oct 29, 2024 3:04 PM
Photo Courtesy Washburn Athletics
Photo Courtesy Washburn Athletics

Hutchinson High School graduate Brett Ballard is in his eighth season as the head coach of the Washburn University men's basketball team, as his Ichabods team prepares for an exhibition game at No. 1 Kansas on Tuesday evening.

The game will tipoff at 7 p.m. inside of Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence and will be streamed on ESPN+.

Ballard is a 1998 graduate of Hutchinson High School. He then played one season at Cowley College and one at HutchCC, where he graduated in 2000. Ballard then played his final two seasons at Kansas under Roy Williams.

He got his coaching career started at Kansas, as a volunteer assistant under Bill Self in the 2003-04 season, the first year under Self.

"He was terrific," Kansas head coach Bill Self said. "He was probably as good and responsible of an assistant as we've had. So, I want to see him do well, not at the expense of us, but hopefully it's a fun game for him and for us.

Ballard got his first head coaching job at Baker University, where he coached the Wildcats to a 33-30 record over a two-year span from 2010-12.

After leaving Baker, Ballard joined the coaching staff at Tulsa from 2012-14 and then at Wake Forest from 2014-17, all under former Jayhawk standout, Danny Manning.

Ballard was named the head coach at Washburn in April, 2017, replacing Hall of Fame inductee, Bob Chipman, who had led the Ichabods the previous 38 years. 

Ballard is 137-75 in his eighth season as the Ichabods' head coach and 170-105 overall in his 10th year as a head coach. He has led the Ichabods to four NCAA postseason appearances in seven seasons at Washburn.

The Ichabods were picked first in the MIAA preseason poll