Diehl, Wally
Born March 10, 1914, in Mitchell. 1932 Mitchell grad. 1936 SDSU grad. Was a teacher, coach and athletic director in Sioux Falls’ public school system for 35 years. He coached one year in Hawarden, Iowa, before joining the Sioux Falls school system in 1937. For 28 years, he ran the Howard Wood-Dakota Relays. At Washington […]
Durfee, Mike
For someone who had never seen a wrestling match before he got to college, the 1963 Highmore grad was a quick learner in the sport. While at Southern State, he was a three-time South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference heavyweight champion. And in nine years as head wrestling coach at his alma mater, then called USD-Springfield, Durfee’s […]
Emmerich, Jim
Born March 18, 1911, in New Ulm, Minn. 1929 New Ulm HS and 1940 SDSU grad. Coached track and cross country at SDSU from 1946-60 and was prominent nationally as an athletic trainer. His track teams won 10 North Central Conference titles. He started the cross country program at SDSU in 1947. His 1953 track […]
Evans, Doug
As a coach and teacher at Washington High in Sioux Falls, Evans was a forerunner and leader in physical education in South Dakota and the nation. The 1937 University of Minnesota grad grew up in Wimbledon, N.D., where he competed in football, basketball, baseball and track. In 1939, he joined the Washington High faculty as […]
Walseth, Russell “Sox”
Born in Aberdeen in 1926. 1944 Pierre HS. 1948 Colorado grad. The first person ever to coach the men’s and women’s basketball teams at the same NCAA school, Walseth did so at Colorado with outstanding results. He was the winningest men’s basketball coach in the school’s history, going 261-245 in 20 seasons (1956-76) at the […]
Welsh, Bill
The Aberdeen native and 1930 Northern State grad coached Claremont to a national record of 61 consecutive six-man football victories from 1947-53. The previous national record was 42. No South Dakota football team has ever come close to matching that feat. In December of 1943, Welsh’s only son, 5-year-old Jean, died in an accident. This […]
Williamson, Warren
Born Jan. 4, 1927 in Hurley. South Dakota State’s wrestling coach for 16 seasons (1956-73), the 1945 Hurley High and 1951 SDSU grad led the Jackrabbits to national prominence in the sport. Williamson also was a standout athlete at SDSU – he was the first Jackrabbit football player to rush for 1,000 yards in a […]
Winter, Bob
Wessington Springs HS. Yankton College. One of the most successful coaches in state history, Winter won 86 percent of his games (319-53) as coach of the Yankton girls basketball team from 1975-91. Won eight Class A titles (1975, ’77-79, ’83, ’86-88) and was runner-up three times. Also won 12 Eastern South Dakota Conference titles. Was […]
Wood, Howard
Born March 3, 1884, in Marvelville, Ontario, Canada. Potsdam Normal College (N.Y.). It is unlikely that any individual had more influence on the young people of Sioux Falls than Wood, who built the state’s greatest sports dynasty at Washington High. Wood became coach at Washington in 1908, and except for two years as head football […]
Woodle, Buell
Sturgis HS. Black Hills State. Longtime coach and athletic director at Sturgis. Coached football, basketball and track at Sturgis (was assistant from 1930-41 and head coach from 1942-57). Was athletic director from 1958-65. He guided Scooper football teams to six Black Hills Conference titles (including 32 wins in a row in the conference) and his […]