SHAWNEE COUNTY — The Washburn University men's basketball coach was injured in an accident just before 8:30 p.m. Tuesday on the Kansas Turnpike in Shawnee County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2024 Ford F150 driven by Brett Ballard, 46, Topeka, was westbound on Interstate 470 just west of the Interstate 470-Interstate 70 split. The pickup traveled off the roadway to the left, struck a delineator post, the embankment and a bridge pillar.
EMS transported Ballard to Stormont Vail for treatment of serious injuries. He was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.
Washburn University President JuliAnn Mazachek released a statement early Wednesday. “We are deeply saddened to share that Coach Brett Ballard was seriously injured in a car accident last evening,” Mazachek said. “Our hearts are with Coach Ballard, his family, the men’s basketball program and all who are affected during this difficult time.
“We ask our community to keep them in their thoughts during this time of recovery and to respect the family’s privacy. The university will share additional information when appropriate.”
Ballard was named the Washburn Ichabod men’s basketball head coach on April 6, 2017 after spending the 2014-15 to 2016-17 seasons as an assistant coach with the Wake Forest basketball program after working under head coach Danny Manning for the last five combined seasons overall including two seasons at the University of Tulsa, according to his bio on the Washburn Athletic web site.
Ballard spent seven years on Bill Self’s staff at the University of Kansas, his alma mater. He was the director of basketball operations for his final two seasons on staff, and prior to that, he served as the administrative assistant/video coordinator for four years and a volunteer student assistant for one year.
Ballard played two years for the University of Kansas under head coach Roy Williams from 2000-02 after transferring from Hutchinson Community College in his hometown of Hutchinson, Kan. Ballard, a guard, played in 56 career games, scoring 59 points and dishing out 32 assists. KU went a combined 59-11 (.843) in his two seasons as a Jayhawk, including a 2001 NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearance and a berth in the 2002 NCAA Final Four in Atlanta.