Kansas State University Athletics
K-State Athletics Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 1991
A two-sport standout at Oklahoma State, Jack Hartman endeared himself to K-Staters for a number of reasons, but none more memorable than his ability to take seemingly less talented teams and consistently coming out on the winning side of the ledger.
He led the Wildcats to a school-record 295 wins, three Big Eight regular season titles, two Big Eight Tournament Championships and nine postseason appearances during his 16-year tenure from 1970-86. His teams also advanced to the NCAA Tournament seven times, including four trips  to the Elite Eight (1972, 1973, 1975, 1981), and finished among the Top 20 five times, including a Top 10 finish in 1973. He posted 20 or more wins seven times, including 24 in both 1976-77 and 1980-81.
During his tenure, he coached some of the most recognizable players in school history, including future pros Rolando Blackman, Mike Evans, Lon Kruger, Ed Nealy and Chuckie Williams. In all, he coached 10 All-Americans, five Big Eight Player of the Year and 16 All-Big Eight First Team selections.
He was honored as UPI National Coach of the Year after the 1980-81 season, as his eighth-seeded Wildcats charged into the NCAA West Regional Final on the strength of upset wins over No. 2 Oregon State and No. 19 Illinois before falling to North Carolina. In 1983, he was the coach of the gold medal winning U.S. Pan American team and over the course of his 30-year career compiled 589 wins.
