Kansas State University Athletics
K-State Athletics Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 1990
The 10-time Hall of Fame inductee, including enshrinement in the Naismith Hall of Fame, Jack Gardner had great numbers, great teams and great results during his two stints (1939-42; 1946-53) at Kansas State. He led the Wildcats to a 147-81 overall record to go with two Final Four appearances (1948, 1951), three Big Seven Holiday Tournament titles and three Big Seven regular season championships.
After posting a 20-34 record in his first stint, Gardner returned to Manhattan in 1946 and won 73 percent of his games (127-47) over his final seven seasons, which included the school’s first and second Final Four appearances. His 1950-51 team is considered one of the greatest in school history, as the Wildcats won a then-school record 25 games and made their first and only appearance in the NCAA Championship game, where they lost to Kentucky, 68-58.
The native of New Mexico and graduate of USC was also a major force behind the construction of Ahearn Field House in 1950, as his successful teams of the late 1940s drove fans into a frenzy, as tickets at tiny Nichols Gym were as rare as his losses. Upon leaving K-State, he spent the next 18 years as the head coach at Utah (1953-71), where he led the Utes to six NCAA Tournaments and two trips to the Final Four.
