Meile, Mark

Mark Meile, a 1972 West Central graduate with degrees from NDSU-Bottineau (1974), USD-Springfield (1976), and SDSU (1992), was a pivotal figure in Sioux Falls athletics. As the Sioux Falls School District athletic coordinator from 1993 to 2018, Meile transformed the city into a national sports hub by spearheading the development of new facilities, programs, and […]

Miller, Jerry

Jerry Miller is a 1959 White Lake High School and 1963 Dakota Wesleyan College graduate. As a high school athlete, Miller was an all-state football player who scored 147 points in eight games for White Lake his senior year. He was also the punter and one of the state’s six-man football’s finest drop kickers. During […]

Minder, Dean

Dean Minder graduated from Wilmot High School in 1945 and Northern State College in 1955. He contributed to the sports scene in the Mitchell area in many ways. Minder coached American Legion baseball and was a Legion and amateur baseball umpire for 25 years. He worked in 15 state amateur baseball tournaments. He was the […]

Naasz, Howard

Born Nov. 16, 1929 in Java. Mobridge HS. USD. Naasz was a coach and athletic director at Rapid City Central for 32 years. He began his coaching career at Mitchell, as assistant football coach for two years and head coach for three. From 1959-70 Naasz was head football coach at RC Central. He also was […]

Roger, Nelson

A 1954 Brookings High and 1958 University of South Dakota grad, Nelson has been a referee/official/umpire for more than 50 years in a host of sports: football, boys/girls basketball, volleyball, wrestling, track, baseball and softball. And he was an outstanding athlete and coach as well. He began officiating in 1955 while in college, mainly football […]

Olson, Danny

Born April 8, 1922 in Story City, Iowa. 1941 Mason City (Iowa) HS grad. 1949 Luther College grad. A Sioux Falls radio institution, Olson broadcast the state high school basketball tournaments for 50 years and state amateur baseball tourneys for 40. He did play-by-play for Sioux Falls high school games for 31 years, for Augustana […]

Plihal, Virginia

Grew up in Omaha, Neb. Omaha University. Acted as business manager for U.S. track teams in international competitions from 1970 to the mid-’80s. Was assistant manager of the U.S. women’s Olympic track team in 1980 and managed the team from 1981-83. She also served as manager for the men’s and women’s track teams at the […]

Quinn, Jim

From his first high school coaching job in 1940 to his death in 1993, Quinn was one of the best-known figures in South Dakota sports. The Sturgis High grad was a coach, a founder of several sports programs and an administrator of others, an executive and a chronicler of sports history. At his death, a […]

Quintal, A.A.

Born in Jefferson on Dec. 18, 1899. Elk Point High School. 1923 USD grad. Was coach and/or athletic director at Mitchell High for 40 years. In 1926 he was named coach and AD at Mitchell. He coached all sports until relinquishing basketball duties in 1949. Took the Kernels to 16 state basketball tourneys, winning state […]

Kretchman, Jim

Born in Lebanon, S.D. 1952 Faulkton HS grad. 1956 Northern State grad. Kretchman spent 32 years at Northern State as a coach and athletic director. In 1969 in his first year as NSU’s football coach, he promptly led the Wolves to an unbeaten season. He was 67-46-7 in 12 seasons as football coach. He was […]