advertisement

Kenny Arnold, who led Iowa to 1980 Final Four, dies at 59

Kenny Arnold, the Iowa basketball star who led the Hawkeyes to their last Final Four in 1980, died Saturday. He was 59.

He had health issues for more than 30 years, the school said. Teammates say he died in the Chicago area. Arnold had limited speech and mobility from a brain tumor and several strokes.

Arnold played for Iowa from 1979-82. During the Final Four run he led his team in scoring despite a broken thumb. With Arnold, Iowa appeared in four NCAA tournaments and won the 1979 Big Ten title.

Arnold averaged 11.7 points and 3.9 assists as a junior. He was a third-team All-Big Ten pick as a senior.

Iowa coach Fran McCaffery said Iowa "lost one of the most inspirational players our program has ever had."

"Kenny always had a smile on his face and cared most about the happiness of others," McCaffery added. "His spirit and legacy will not be forgotten."

Iowa introduced the Kenny Arnold Spirit Award in 2017, honoring the player who exemplifies his character, courage and poise.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

___

More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/MarchMadness and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.