Thompson, Jim
A three-time South Dakota Sportscaster of the Year, the 1965 Sturgis High grad was well-known nationally for his pro rodeo announcing. Thompson has been selected to announce every major rodeo finals in the country: PRCA National Finals, Circuit Finals, Indian National Finals, College Nationals, High School National Finals and Senior Pro. He started announcing rodeos […]
Macy, Ralph
The Vermillion High grad was a great booster of amateur athletics in South Dakota, and teams he sponsored, mostly in Rapid City, were among the most successful in the state. The Rapid City Macy’s basketball team played in numerous state amateur tourneys, reaching the finals four times and winning titles in 1979 and ’81. Twice […]
Mann, Dean
The 1950 Washington High and 1957 Augustana grad has been involved in track and field in South Dakota for more than 60 years. This year (2007) marks his 50th year as a track official – as a starter and referee at the college and high school level. As an athlete, he was a four-year letterwinner […]
Dean, Tony
Tony Dean (DeChandt) was the host and executive producer of “Tony Dean Outdoors,” an outdoor television series that aired across the upper Midwest. He also produced a daily radio show, “Dakota Backroads,” that aired year-round on 39 North and South Dakota radio stations plus two in Minnesota and one in Wyoming. His television and radio […]
Tibbetts, Fred
The 1967 De Smet High and 1972 Dakota State grad won 551 games and 11 state titles – both state girls basketball coaching records. He was 551-101 in 29 seasons at the high school level (18 at Jefferson, 11 at Roosevelt). His teams qualified for the state tourney 19 times and reached the state finals […]
Little, Dave
Dave Little once said that coaching track was 40 percent technique and conditioning and 60 percent psychology. And that’s what he did best – get inside athletes’ heads. The 1960 Watertown High and 1965 Northern State grad had high school coaching stints in Aberdeen and Michigan before going to Black Hills State University in 1968. […]
Wolfgang, Doug
The Sioux Falls native was one of the biggest stars on the World of Outlaws sprint car circuit throughout the 1980s. The 1970 Lincoln High grad won more than 600 feature races in his career. He was selected eighth on the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame “Drivers of the Century” list. He won 107 […]
Gremmels, Jim
The Sioux Falls native and 1952 Augustana graduate has the distinction of being the first basketball player to win back-to-back Most Valuable Player awards in the North Central Conference, doing so in 1951 and ’52. The awards are especially impressive considering he earned them while playing on teams that finished last and next to last […]
Freund, Kay (Stormo)
A two-time South Dakota High School Girls Athlete of the Year, Stormo still holds the state record for the 800-meter run, a 2:07.9 she set in 1978. The time was the third fastest in the nation that year. Shortly after graduating as salutatorian, she won the 800 at the International Prep meet in Naperville, Ill., […]
Besanson, Kay
The 1954 Delmont High grad was one of Yankton College’s all-time greats in basketball and track. Besanson ran the 220-yard dash in 20.9 seconds in 1956, breaking the school record set by the legendary Joe Mendel. That time was the fourth fastest in the nation in 1956 and it remained a Yankton College record until […]