Eggers, Doug
Doug Eggers played five seasons in the National Football League with the Baltimore Colts (1954-57) and the Chicago Cardinals (1958). The 6-foot, 213-pound linebacker was credited with four career pass interceptions and eight fumble recoveries. In 1959 he signed with the Oakland Raiders but decided to remain in Baltimore to manage his new business – […]
Dworsky, Dan
Perhaps the greatest football player in the storied history of Sioux Falls’ Washington High, Dworsky led Michigan to back-to-back undefeated seasons and national titles. He grew up in the Twin Cities and moved to Sioux Falls for his junior year of high school. The 6-foot, 200-pounder lettered two years each in football, basketball and track. […]
Diefendorf, John
The 1946 Irene High grad was named Mr. Basketball in South Dakota for the first half of the 20th century. By the time he graduated from the University of South Dakota in 1950, he owned or shared five North Central Conference records and seven USD records. A four-year starter, Diefendorf was a three-time all-NCC performer […]
DeHaven, Rod
A Huron High and South Dakota State grad, DeHaven was the entire U.S. marathon team at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. The next year he placed sixth at the Boston Marathon and Chicago Marathon, where he ran his personal best of 2:11:40. He also qualified for the 2004 Olympic trials but injury kept […]
Edelen, Leonard “Buddy”
Edelen’s success as a marathon runner inspired a generation of runners, including Frank Shorter and Bill Rodgers. The 1955 Sioux Falls Washington High grad taught in England from 1960-65 and while there entered cross country and marathon races around the world. He set the American record in Fukuoka, Japan, in 1962, running 2:18:57. He set […]
Amundson, George
Aberdeen (Aberdeen Central High School). Iowa State. On May 17, 1969, at the state Class AA track meet in Spearfish, the 6-2, 200-pound Amundson threw the discus 211 feet, 4 inches, farther than any U.S. high schooler had ever thrown it. No South Dakotan since has come close to that mark. The record was never […]
Anderson, Cliff
The 1969 Dell Rapids High grad was one of the last great four-sport college athletes in South Dakota, excelling in basketball, football, baseball and track at Dakota State. At DSU, the 6-foot-5 Anderson was all-South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference in basketball three years (1971-73) and all-NAIA District 12 twice while playing for Coach Ed Harter. He […]
Andrzejewski, Rich
1969 Arlington HS grad. 1974 Northern State grad. Voted the best all-around male athlete in the history of Northern State, Andrzejewski earned 16 varsity letters, the most by an athlete at any South Dakota college ever. The 6-foot-3 Andrzejewski lettered four years each in football, basketball, baseball and track. He played on Northern teams that […]
Bartling, Herb
A 1947 Brookings High grad, Bartling was an All-American quarterback on the undefeated 1950 South Dakota State football team. SDSU hasn’t gone unbeaten since. The 6-foot, 175-pound Bartling was named Most Valuable Player in the North Central Conference after guiding the Jackrabbits to a 9-0-1 record and a league championship in 1950 under Coach Ralph […]
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 […]