Washburn coach Brett Ballard seriously injured in Topeka crash
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- Brett Ballard, Washburn University men's basketball coach, was seriously injured Tuesday night when his Ford F-150 hit a bridge pillar on I-470 near mile-marker 183 along the Kansas turnpike in Topeka, per the Kansas Highway Patrol.
- Ballard, 46, was wearing a seatbelt, and no further updates on his condition had been released as of the university's statement on Wednesday.
- Ballard is entering his ninth season at Division II Washburn with a career record of 167-79 and led the program to the Division II Final Four during the 2024-25 season, finishing 30-4.
- Washburn University President JuliAnn Mazachek issued a statement saying the school is "deeply saddened" and asked the community to keep Ballard and his family in their thoughts while respecting their privacy.
- Washburn football coach Zach Watkins called Ballard "a great friend" and said the football team prayed for him before practice before heading to help his family.
- Ballard played two seasons at Kansas under then-coach Roy Williams from 2000-02 after transferring from Hutchinson Community College, appearing on squads that reached the 2001 NCAA Sweet Sixteen and the 2002 NCAA Final Four.
Why it matters: Ballard just piloted Washburn to a 30-4 season and a Division II Final Four appearance and enters year nine at 167-79, so his condition update is the immediate question for a program whose recent success is tied to him; with no update yet provided, the men's basketball team faces a leadership uncertainty heading into the new season.
