Richardson elected to Hall of Fame
UA Sports Information
Issue date: 4/9/08 Section: Sports
The defense he learned from his coach, plus what he saw from others he liked, such as John Wooden at UCLA, led to his coaching style and philosophy.
Following stints in the American Football League, where he played one year as a defensive back for the San Diego Chargers, and American Basketball Association, where he played a year with the Dallas Chaparrals, he began his coaching career at Bowie.
He had a 10-year record of 190-80 (.704) and was named coach of the year three times. His high school teams won two district titles and two city championships, and his 1975 team finished second in the state regional tournament. He moved to Western Texas Junior College next and compiled a remarkable three-year record of 101-14 (.878). His final team went 37-0 and won the junior college national championship.
His next stop was Tulsa where he posted a five-year record of 119-37 (.763). He led the Golden Hurricane to three NCAA tournaments and two post-season NITs, including an NIT championship in his first campaign.
A 1963 graduate of UTEP, Richardson has been inducted into the UA Sports Hall of Honor (1996), the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame (1998), the Texas Black Hall of Fame (2008) and the El Paso Hall of Fame (1974), and was named the Outstanding Alumnus of Bowie High School (1980).
In 1995, at the Final Four, he was presented the prestigious Courage Award by the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA), which is the highest honor the group gives. Included was a video chronicling his career, which included a segment on his daughter, Yvonne, who he lost to leukemia in January 1987.
In his hometown of El Paso, Texas, Nolan Richardson Middle School, the Nolan Richardson Community Center and the Yvonne Richardson Daycare Center stand as proof of his unwavering support of education and youth development in the area.
Following stints in the American Football League, where he played one year as a defensive back for the San Diego Chargers, and American Basketball Association, where he played a year with the Dallas Chaparrals, he began his coaching career at Bowie.
He had a 10-year record of 190-80 (.704) and was named coach of the year three times. His high school teams won two district titles and two city championships, and his 1975 team finished second in the state regional tournament. He moved to Western Texas Junior College next and compiled a remarkable three-year record of 101-14 (.878). His final team went 37-0 and won the junior college national championship.
His next stop was Tulsa where he posted a five-year record of 119-37 (.763). He led the Golden Hurricane to three NCAA tournaments and two post-season NITs, including an NIT championship in his first campaign.
A 1963 graduate of UTEP, Richardson has been inducted into the UA Sports Hall of Honor (1996), the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame (1998), the Texas Black Hall of Fame (2008) and the El Paso Hall of Fame (1974), and was named the Outstanding Alumnus of Bowie High School (1980).
In 1995, at the Final Four, he was presented the prestigious Courage Award by the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA), which is the highest honor the group gives. Included was a video chronicling his career, which included a segment on his daughter, Yvonne, who he lost to leukemia in January 1987.
In his hometown of El Paso, Texas, Nolan Richardson Middle School, the Nolan Richardson Community Center and the Yvonne Richardson Daycare Center stand as proof of his unwavering support of education and youth development in the area.
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