Much-beloved KU basketball adviser Scott ‘Scooter’ Ward dies: Tributes abound
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Scott 'Scooter' Ward, longtime KU adviser and mentor, has died at 59.
- Ward led KU LEADS and academic support programs, guiding hundreds of student-athletes.
- Coaches, alumni and students issued tributes, citing his mentorship, resilience.
Scott “Scooter” Ward, a member of the University of Kansas athletic department for two decades who served as a mentor and adviser for the KU’s men’s basketball program during the Bill Self era, died Saturday at the age of 59, his wife, Robin, has confirmed on social media.
Ward, a Kingman, Kansas native, earned a bachelor’s degree at KU in 1991, a master’s in 1993 and Ph.D in education with an emphasis in sports psychology and support in counseling psychology in 1996. He joined the school’s athletic department in the summer of 2003 and since then has helped hundreds of current and former KU athletes earn degrees.
“This man — Scott ‘Scooter’ Ward — son, brother, friend, husband, dog dad, counselor, coach, adviser, inspiration was such a gift to us and to the world. He was full of life and sometimes larger than life, so it’s so hard to tell you that his time on this earth came to a close today after struggling to recover from surgery last month. If you knew him, you know,” Ward’s wife, Robin Ward, wrote Saturday on social media.
“And to all of you who knew him well, I say this: There aren’t enough words to thank you for your kindness and for the joy you have brought into his life. The memories you made together will be treasured always, and I will count on you to keep them alive for me as time goes by. Thank you for sending him off with so much love,” Robin Ward added.
Joining the athletic department in the summer of 2003, Ward most recently worked with KU LEADS as the “director of Jayhawk peak performance and leadership,” helping with mental performance aspects for all KU athletes.
His job duties included coordinating various support services for student-athletes, including directly mentoring the men’s basketball, football and volleyball programs. Before his current position, Ward spent 14 years in the KU academic support program, working mainly with men’s basketball and volleyball as academic counselor.
In the summer of 2009, he was promoted to associate athletics director for academic and career counseling.
During Ward’s stint with men’s basketball, Kansas had 35 academic all-Big 12 selections. Included were first-team Academic All-Americans Cole Aldrich (2010) and Tyrel Reed (2011).
Aldrich was named the Academic All-American of the Year in 2010. Additionally, KU men’s basketball was acknowledged in June 2015 with the NCAA’s Public Recognition Award for achieving scores among the top 10% of all NCAA Division I men’s basketball teams, a streak of nine-consecutive years honored.
Ward also was a faculty member in the School of Education at KU. He received multiple teaching awards as an instructor in the health, sport and exercise science department.
“Scooter, as people who have followed us for years know, has been an original (basketball) staff member. He has probably done more for our athletes maybe than anybody,” KU coach Bill Self said before Saturday’s game at UCF.
“This is something that will impact our players, especially the ones that basically are holding degrees because of the work Scooter did with them from 2003 to about 2016 until he had his first torn aorta,” Self added.
Ward had emergency surgery in October 2016 to repair a tear in the aorta.
Back in 1986 he suffered a broken neck when he was a freshman at Hutchinson Community College and suffered paralysis from the neck down.
“(He’s) so, so tough,” Self stated. “Even though we’re playing ball today, there are things more important and none more important than Scooter and Robin.”
Earlier, Self noted that Scooter Ward “is so proud to be a part of the athletic program and the basketball program. Scott has a disability (paralysis) that he doesn’t want anybody to even know that he has. His attitude is always positive. He works his tail off. It’s amazing, he doesn’t have bad days. When you’ve got to get up sometimes at 5 o’clock in the morning to get to work by 8, and you never have a bad day, that’s a stud in my book.”
Self stated after the aorta surgery: “Scott is a remarkable human being. He’s the best role model the players can have. He’s as tough a human being as I’ve ever been around. He’s been through more than most of us will ever go through. It’s a sign of his toughness, too.”
After recovering from the aorta tear in 2016, Scooter Ward said: “I am so grateful. I always talk about energy — people passing energy to other people. I truly think of those doctors and nurses, all my friends and family that were all in that same ‘collective energy’ pointing toward me. Whether you want to call ‘collective energy’ being a miracle or something spiritual or something religious, I think we can call it all of that. It brought me through.”
Tributes began flooding social media Saturday afternoon and evening and also from the past. Here are some of the tributes …
“RIP to Scott Ward! A real Jayhawk! Took care of so many of us. From Wayne Simien’s class to Class of 2025,” wrote former KU guard Mario Little.
“Just seeing this very sad news. Scooter was a huge part of @KUHoops family. Their ‘academic’ Bill Self. I will miss talking to him. We all will,” wrote ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla.
“Love this man,” former KU guard Frank Mason wrote on social media site X back in 2016 after the aorta surgery.
“Scooter has changed the lives of a countless number of people for the better and I’m lucky enough to have been one,” said former KU guard Tyler Self.
Former KU basketball guard Tyrel Reed wrote: “He’s given so much to all of the Jayhawks!”
Former Jayhawk basketball player Matt Kleinmann wrote: “Scooter is one of the toughest, nicest, and most caring people I know. Each Senior Night, it’s Scooter that players thank for their education.”
Former KU football player Joe Dineen wrote: “Scooter is the man. He helped and touched every person he came in contact with!”
Former KU volleyball player Addie Barry wrote: “Scooter is one of the kindest, most selfless people I have ever met. Some call him a unicorn, because it’s so hard to find someone so special. He goes above and beyond to impact every single person he meets.”
Former KU volleyball coach Ray Bechard said: “This team thinks the world of him and the things that he’s done for us and our program, not only on an academic level but on a personal level. He’s a dear friend of mine.”
“He’s a big motivation for all of us,” former KU volleyball player Kelsie Payne told the Lawrence Journal-World. “He helps us academically, and also if we ever need to talk we go in his office and he’s always willing to talk to us.”
“We love ‘Scooter,’” former KU associate AD Jim Marchiony said. “The student-athletes he works with love him. The coaches love him. The administrators love him.”
Former KU football running back Dino Bell wrote: “One of a kind special dude! He will be missed by many!”
Washburn basketball coach Brett Ballard, a former KU guard and basketball support staff member wrote: “Jayhawk Nation this is one of our own. Was the basketball team’s academic advisor & has helped so many Jayhawks earn their diploma & succeed in life.”
Former KU forward Bryant Nash said: “That’s a warrior right there. Some people don’t have that mentality where they would keep going. Some people just give up.”
Former KU baseball player Pat Karlin wrote: “Scooter was ‘salt of the earth!’ He was one of a kind and Mary Beth (wife) and I (and our kids) have great stories and memories.”
Former KU forward Calvin Thompson wrote: “Rest well Scooter ... you will be missed. Rock Chalk!”
Former KU guard Patrick Richey wrote: “RIP Scooter! Everyone’s favorite Jayhawk and you just won’t find a better person.”
Dawn Pollard, wife of former KU forward Scot Pollard wrote: “Peace and comfort to all who knew him. He will be greatly missed. We love you Robin.”
Said former KU volleyball standout Brianne Riley to the Lawrence Journal-World: “Doesn’t get better than this guy. A real ‘unicorn’ with the world’s biggest heart. Love ya always Scoot!”
Former KU track All-American Candace Dunback wrote: “Scooter is most definitely one of a kind. He has helped so many athletes take their performances from one level to the next and I am among them. Funny thing about his influence is that you end up learning more about yourself as a person, than an athlete.”
