Villa, Neysa

Known to most people simply as Neysa, Villa raised 10 children in Freeman, and in her efforts to provide sports activities for her children, she created an amazing legacy of volunteerism in amateur sports in South Dakota, especially in the AAU, from the 1960s to the early 1980s. Villa, a registered nurse, was instrumental in […]

Toland, Roger

In a 43-year sportswriting career, all at the Rapid City Journal, Toland was No. 1 when it came to numbers. A graduate of Rapid City High and National College of Business in Rapid City, Toland began working at the Journal in 1964. He retired in 2007. The 43 years is thought to be a state […]

Rehn, Ruth

The Lyons High and 1966 South Dakota State grad was an assistant executive director for the S.D. High School Activities Association for 34 years, starting in 1974. During her tenure, South Dakota added basketball, volleyball, cross country, and competitive cheer and dance for high school girls, and she was the overseeing administrator for all the […]

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 […]

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 […]

Goodell, Harold

Born in Fairfax, Iowa, in 1904. Moved to South Dakota at age 2. Colorado College of Chiropody. University of Wyoming. Goodell was associated with South Dakota Tech for 40 years, retiring as director of student health and director of athletics in 1970. He was president of the South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference for several seasons and […]

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 […]

Lilevjen, Clar

Born May 3, 1914 in Appleton, Minn. Appleton HS. U of Minnesota. A teacher-coach-administrator in South Dakota for 40 years, Lilevjen always had his students and athletes in mind. He was executive director of the South Dakota High School Activities Association from 1977 until he retired in 1979. Lilevjen first coached and taught at Belle […]

Lloyd, Vince (Skaff)

Born June 1, 1917, in Beresford. 1935 Beresford HS grad. 1940 Yankton College grad. One of the Midwest’s most well-known sports announcers, primarily at WGN in Chicago. He began his broadcasting career in Sioux City with KTRI before going to WJBC in Bloomington, Ill., and WMBD in Peoria, Ill. After serving in the Marine Corps […]

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 […]