Sanders, John “Deac”

1968 Sunshine Bible Academy (near Miller)/1973 USD graduate. Born in Chicago, Sanders played six seasons as a defensive back in the NFL (1974-76 with New England and 1977-79 with Philadelphia). The 6-1, 177-pounder intercepted six passes in 1977 (second best in the NFL that year) and five each in 1974 and 1978 for a career […]

Schlekeway, Jill (Theeler)

The 1997 Mitchell High grad blazed to three state records in an incredible final two years of high school track. In 1997, she set state records in the 100 meters (11.66), 200 (24.27) and 400 (55.25). She won the 100, 200 and 400 and ran on the winning 1,600 relay at the state Class AA […]

McKee, Vern

Vern McKee was born on April 28, 1930. He grew up in Huron and was a 1948 Browns Valley (Minn.) High School and a 1956 Huron College graduate. McKee is among the few South Dakotans to sign pro contracts in two sports. McKee played three years as a centerfielder in the St. Louis Browns and […]

Mendel, Joe

Onida. 1931 Yankton College grad. On May 21,1926, Mendel accomplished what no other South Dakota athlete has done: He singlehandedly won the state track meet. He entered four events and won them all as Onida edged Sioux Falls Washington 20-19 for the one-class state title. It would be 70 years before another boy won four […]

Mills, Billy

Born June 30, 1938 at Pine Ridge. Haskell (Kan.) Indian School. 1962 Kansas grad. Before Oct. 14, 1964, Mills was unknown to all but a few track afficionados. But on that day the unheralded Mills achieved what some sports historians called ‘the most sensational upset in Olympic history,’ sprinting past Mohammed Gammoudi of Tunisia and […]

Mitchell, Jim

The national deaf basketball player of the year as a senior in 1954, the 6-foot-1 Mitchell averaged 27.2 points a game for the South Dakota School for the Deaf that season, including a 52-point effort against Worthing. The 27.2 was a national deaf record. In the 52-point game, he was 17 of 24 from the […]

Nelson, Chad

The 1974 Yankton High grad was one of the few South Dakotans drafted by a pro basketball team – and the only one to be drafted twice. The 6-foot-11 Nelson was a ninth-round pick of the New Orleans (now Utah) Jazz in 1978 and a 10th-round pick of the Atlanta Hawks in 1979. He did […]

Nissen, Rick

A star guard for one of the state’s most famous prep basketball teams, the unbeaten 1972 Miller Rustlers, Nissen went on to a stellar career at the University of South Dakota. At Miller, the Rustlers lost only five games in his three years as a starter. In his senior year, Miller went 24-0 and beat […]

Odson, Urban

1936 Clark HS grad. University of Minnesota. An All-American tackle for Minnesota in 1940, he helped the Gophers to unbeaten seasons and national titles in ’40 and ’41. The 6-3, 251-pounder was a first-round draft pick (ninth overall) of the Green Bay Packers in 1942. He was selected to play in the 1942 College All-Star […]

Palmer, Dale

The 1929 Sioux Falls Washington High grad was one of the state’s finest track sprinters, dominating the dash events throughout his career at Washington and continuing it at South Dakota State. WHS coach Howard Wood rated Palmer as “one of the most outstanding athletes that Washington High ever had.” At Washington, he lettered four years […]