Mueller, Kent

1976 Freeman/Dakota Wesleyan/1985 USD graduate. Wherever he went in life, the 6-foot-4, 220-pound Mueller made an impression, a difference and history as an athlete, teacher and coach. He recently made a state record 17th high school football state championship appearance in 2025 as an assistant coach for champion Freeman/Marion/Freeman Academy. Mueller’s teams have won 14 of those championship games. Mueller and Jim Uttecht constructed a dynasty at West Central, trading the head and top assistant coaching positions to lead the Trojans to 12 state titles and three state runner-up finishes. As an assistant coach, Mueller also helped Sioux Falls O’Gorman win a state football title in 1988. Mueller also coached West Central to a 49-1 boys’ basketball record with two state titles in 2000 and 2001 with his son Josh as the star of the team. Mueller also coached West Central to State A runner-up basketball finishes in 1999 and 1994. Mueller is one of only four (Bill Marquardt, Paul Raasch and Marv McCune) in state history to win state football and basketball titles as a head coach, and the only one to win multiple state titles in both sports. Mueller also was a long-time coach of the nationally dominant Dakota Schoolers AAU boys’ basketball team, helping players from across the state parlay their high school efforts into college scholarships. One of the greatest multi-sport athletes in Freeman High School and state history, Mueller led the Flyers to the 1975 State B basketball title and an undefeated season, and to third place in the 1976 State B. Mueller was a football star (two-way starter) at DWU where he helped the Tigers win their first-ever South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference championship in 1976. He retired from teaching and coaching in 2019, but returning home to Freeman led him to become the girls’ basketball assistant coach in 2022 and a football assistant in 2023.