Washburn University men’s basketball coach Brett Ballard, 46, was seriously injured Tuesday night when his pickup truck left Interstate 470 and struck a bridge pillar near Topeka. The Kansas Highway Patrol said Ballard was alone in the vehicle and was wearing his seat belt.
According to the patrol’s crash log, Ballard was driving a 2024 Ford F-150 westbound on I-470, just west of the interchange with Interstate 70. The truck drifted off the roadway to the left, clipped a delineator post, then hit an embankment before slamming into a bridge pillar. He was taken to Stormont Vail Hospital with serious injuries.
Ballard, a Hutchinson native and former University of Kansas player, has been head coach at Washburn since the 2017-18 season. He just completed a remarkable year, leading the Ichabods to a 30-4 record and a spot in the NCAA Division II National Semifinals.
In a statement Wednesday, Washburn President JuliAnn Mazachek asked for privacy for the coach and his family. “We are deeply saddened to share that Coach Brett Ballard was seriously injured in a car accident last evening,” she said. “Our hearts are with Coach Ballard, his family, the men’s basketball program and all who are affected during this difficult time.” The university said it would release more information when appropriate. Additional details about Ballard’s condition were not immediately available.