Men's Basketball Coach Ken Ammann receives Harry Statham Award
NOVEMBER 12, 2021 Irvine, CA—This past weekend, Concordia University Irvine men’s basketball coach Ken Ammann received the prestigious Harry Statham Coach of Impact Award, which he was initially chosen to receive in April 2020.
The Small College Basketball (SCB) presents this annual award to honor head coaches at the small college level who use the power of their coaching platform to make a positive impact on others. In particular, the award highlights coaches who display high character and integrity while serving as excellent role models.
The award is named after Harry Statham, former Head Basketball Coach at Mckendree University and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Basketball Hall of Fame member. The award presentation was supposed to be held last year but was delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I’m so glad I was able to go out there and be there in person,” said Ammann. “Small College Basketball has a new documentary coming out on how small college basketball (programs) has influenced our society over the last 100 years with social change, and it’s great to be a part of that. Some former NBA players and Olympians were in this class that was inducted, and even Hall of Fame coaches like Jerry Sloan. It was cool to be a part of it.”
“Harry Statham is one of the classiest coaches I’ve ever seen,” added Ammann. “We were fortunate enough to compete against each other in the NAIA Final Four in 2004, and he was such a great role model of how to win and lose with class. To be chosen for an award with his name on it – it means a lot.”
In his 19 seasons with Concordia, Coach Ammann, who played at Edison High and Stanford University, has led Concordia to 486 wins, including 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’s history and was twice named NAIA Coach of the Year.
Coach Ammann and the Eagles begin a new season this Friday, November 12. It will be their first regular-season game in front of fans at the CU Arena in nearly 18 months. Go Eagles