Former KU walk-on joins head coaching ranks at Northern Oklahoma College

By Matt Tait     Jun 18, 2021
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Thad Allender
Kansas University senior basketball players, from left, Rodrick Stewart, Brad Witherspoon, Darnell Jackson and Jeremy Case dance as Russell Robinson sings "New York, New York." The Jayhawks performed the skit Friday at the 2007 Late Night in the Phog in Allen Fieldhouse.

Former University of Kansas walk-on Brad Witherspoon has been named the new head coach at Northern Oklahoma College.

Witherspoon, who has been working as an assistant coach at various programs since graduating from KU in 2009, is moving into a head coaching role for the first time in his career.

He replaces Donnie Jackson, who recently was hired at Cowley County in Arkansas City after eight years at Northern Oklahoma.

Witherspoon’s ties to the KU program helped make him stand out from what NOC Athletic Director Alan Foster called “an impressive pool of candidates.”

“Throughout the process, Brad’s enthusiasm, energy and his knowledge of what it took to continue the successful trajectory we are on became more evident with each conversation,” Foster said in a statement announcing the hire. “No doubt his experience working for multiple successful coaches has pre-pared him to be our next head coach at NOC Tonkawa. I believe Brad is going to be a great head coach and I am proud we can give him that opportunity.”

A Humboldt native, Witherspoon earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education from KU in 2009 and then earned his Masters of Health & Physical Education degree from Emporia State University in 2013.

Witherspoon, whose Twitter photo is still a picture of him with the KU national championship trophy, will teach in NOC’s Health, Physical Education, & Recreation Division.

“I am extremely excited to be the next head basketball coach of the Mavs,” Witherspoon said. “The tradition and resources of NOC Tonkawa made this a very sought-after job and I am humbled to have been chosen to lead the program, and be a part of the NOC faculty.”

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Written By Matt Tait

A native of Colorado, Matt moved to Lawrence in 1988 and has been in town ever since. He graduated from Lawrence High in 1996 and the University of Kansas in 2000 with a degree in Journalism. After covering KU sports for the University Daily Kansan and Rivals.com, Matt joined the World Company (and later Ogden Publications) in 2001 and has held several positions with the paper and KUsports.com in the past 20+ years. He became the Journal-World Sports Editor in 2018. Throughout his career, Matt has won several local and national awards from both the Associated Press Sports Editors and the Kansas Press Association. In 2021, he was named the Kansas Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. Matt lives in Lawrence with his wife, Allison, and two daughters, Kate and Molly. When he's not covering KU sports, he likes to spend his time playing basketball and golf, listening to and writing music and traveling the world with friends and family.