Guest commentary: We know Gregg Marshall — and he represents the best of Wichita
Wichita knows Coach Gregg Marshall. We know his character. We know the teams he has built, the players he has inspired, the culture he has invested in, and the legacy he has left on the basketball court. We know the immense pride that he has brought to our university and our community.
Coach Marshall represents the very best of Wichita. He is a respected and dedicated mentor to his players. He invests his passion and expertise to empower them to perform at their very best. He understands that basketball is an entry point into his players’ lives to teach them the skills and character traits that will serve them long after their days at WSU — leadership, integrity, teamwork, loyalty. He learns from his players just as they learn from him. He builds the mentality that winning means more than numbers on a scoreboard. It’s about the team. It’s about family.
Despite the onslaught of negative and misleading hit pieces that have targeted Coach Marshall, these past couple weeks have shown the true impact of his character and leadership. Scores of former players and staff have come to Coach’s defense to share what an important mentor and advocate he has been in their lives. They’ve painted a picture of a demanding but inspiring leader who expects effort, rewards hard work, and opens his home — and his heart — to his players.
Unfortunately, that’s not what the headlines are saying. But we don’t need to be told what to think about Coach. We know Gregg Marshall.
Coach Marshall’s leadership at WSU has brought pride and national visibility to our community. We have deep respect for the program Coach Marshall has built and his positive role as a leader in our community. Wichita State is fortunate to have such a talented and passionate champion.
We, along with Tom Devlin, are proud to co-chair “Shockers for Coach Marshall,” a coalition of committed Wichita State supporters who are proud to have Coach Marshall’s back. Our ranks include dozens of business and professional leaders, alumni and longtime WSU fans. Together, we reject the false portrayal of Coach Marshall that has emerged in recent media coverage. We judge each other by our character and values. Since he and his wife, Lynn, arrived in Wichita 14 years ago, Gregg Marshall has made significant contributions to charitable causes and organizations in our community.
We won’t sit on the sidelines while one of our leaders is forced to endure false attacks from media outside of Wichita. We support the independent investigation that is being conducted to determine the veracity of these allegations. While that process is ongoing, we will continue to speak out in support of Coach Marshall and the positive impact he has had on our community. And we look forward to another incredible season of Shocker basketball with him at the helm.
We stand with Coach Marshall.