Kansas City, MO – Small College Basketball (SCB) is proud to announce Ken Ammann of Concordia University Irvine, as the 2020 Harry Statham Coach of Impact Award Winner. Harry Statham had this to say about Coach Ammann.  

“Ken Ammann is a fantastic basketball coach. In his first season as Head Coach of Concordia, he won 21 games. In season two, he won 36 games and the NAIA National Championship. In his 14 years from 2001-2015, he amassed 363 wins, appearing 10 times in the NAIA National Tournament, including two National Championships, two Runner – Ups, two Final Eights, and two Final Sixteens. In addition to teaching offense, defense and basketball fundamentals, Coach Ammann is also highly successful in developing off-the-court values that are very important in our society. With so much emphasis on winning, sometimes values are not given adequate attention. Character, integrity, positive attitude and thinking of others are just a few of the traits I have witnessed in his players during competition and off the court. He is truly a coach of impact.”

In 19 seasons at the helm of the Eagles program, Coach Ammann has compiled a record of 485 – 159. This includes two NAIA National Championships, five GSAC Championships, and five GSAC Tournament Championships. Coach Ammann has eclipsed the 30 win mark in six seasons and the 20 win mark in 16 seasons, including the last three. He is also the longest tenured coach in Concordia University Irvine history. During the Eagles time in the NAIA, Coach Ammann was named NAIA Coach of the Year twice. Coach Ammann had this to say about being named this year’s recipient.

"I am so honored to be this year's recipient of the Harry Statham Coach of Impact Award, especially because it has his name on it.  Coach Statham competed with the highest level of character and integrity.  Even though Coach Statham is the winningest college men's basketball coach of all time, the most impressive aspect of his career to me was the fact that he always won and lost with class.  He was such a tremendous role model in this manner for all who competed for and against him.  For these reasons I could not be more grateful to be recognized as a coach who loves the game and all the student/athletes who have come through our program." 

In the Eagles first year of NCAA Division II competition during the 2015-16 season, Coach Ammann’s team finished the year with a 22-7 record. In the next season, the team’s first season of postseason eligibility, the Eagles secured their first berth in the PacWest Conference Tournament, after the team posted a 19-10 regular season record. Ammann’s team earned their first ever PacWest Conference Tournament victory when the Eagles defeated Point Loma, 69-65. The 2018-19 season saw the Eagles fly to new heights, reaching the NCAA Division II National Tournament for the very first time. This came on the heels of the Eagles reaching the PacWest Conference Championship Game for the first time in program history.

The purpose of the Harry Statham Coach of Impact Award is to honor a Coach that has used the power of the coaching platform to make a positive impact on players, coaches and others. The Coach will be a person of high character and integrity who has served as an excellent role model, and who has deeply impacted the lives of others.

The annual winner of the Harry Statham Coach of Impact Award must have coached at the small college level for a majority of his career, and must have a high degree of personal character and integrity. The Coach may be a current or former Coach, and Small College Basketball will honor a living Coach with this award annually. 2020 marks the second year of the award. In 2019 Bob Burchard, former Athletic Director and Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Columbia (MO), was named the inaugural award winner.

The award is named after Harry Statham, former Head Basketball Coach at Mckendree University. Coach Statham is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Basketball Hall of Fame. His 1,122 wins during his 52 seasons at McKendree University in Lebanon, Illinois, are the most by any men's or women's basketball head coach at a four-year college or university in the United States. The only other coaches at a four-year institution with 1,000 or more wins are Pat Summitt, Danny Miles, Mike Krzyzewski, Herb Magee, Tara VanDerveer, Geno Auriemma and Sylvia Hatchell.​

To nominate a candidate for the award, please send detailed information about the coach, along with examples of how the Coach has impacted the lives of others, to harrystathamaward@gmail.com.

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Ken Ammann accepts the 2020 Harry Statham Coach of Impact Award