Carbondale Community High School is mourning the passing of former basketball coach and athletic director Doug Woolard, a member of the school’s Hall of Fame whose career in athletics spanned several decades at both the high school and collegiate levels.
Woolard was a standout basketball player for the Carbondale Terriers, helping lead the school to state tournament appearances in 1967 and 1968. The 1967 team finished as the Illinois state runner-up.
He later returned to Carbondale as head basketball coach, leading the Terriers from 1975 through 1988 while also serving as the school’s athletic director.
During his coaching tenure, Woolard compiled an impressive record of 263 wins and 94 losses, including another state tournament appearance in 1986.
In 1988, Woolard moved into college athletics administration at Washington State University, where he served as assistant athletic director and later associate athletic director for external operations.
He was named athletic director at Saint Louis University in 1994 before taking over the athletic department at the University of South Florida in 2004. Woolard retired in 2014.
His career also included a return to Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, where he had earned his college degree.
In December 2014, SIU appointed Woolard as a special adviser to incoming interim athletic director Harold Bardo. His responsibilities included evaluating the university’s athletic operations, identifying potential revenue opportunities and reviewing departmental expenses.
In a statement announcing his passing, Carbondale Community High School extended condolences to Woolard’s family and those impacted by his career.
The school said Woolard’s legacy of leadership and Terrier pride would continue for generations.
Woolard is remembered for his contributions to Southern Illinois high school basketball and his leadership in collegiate athletics across the country.