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Ken Anderson (basketball)

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Ken Anderson
Biographical details
Born (1933-01-16) January 16, 1933 (age 91)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1968–1995Wisconsin–Eau Claire
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
14 WIAC regular season (1970–1974, 1976, 1977, 1979–1982, 1987, 1989, 1991)[1]
14 NAIA District 14 (1970–1972, 1974, 1979–1982, 1986–1991)
Awards
3× NAIA Coach of the Year (1972, 1980, 1981)
NAIA Hall of Fame (1990)

Ken Anderson (born January 16, 1933) is a retired American college basketball coach who spent 27 seasons at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. His winning percentage of .806 ranks third in college basketball history, behind only Mark Few and Adolph Rupp, and one spot ahead of John Wooden.[2]

Coaching career

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High school

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After graduating from UW–Eau Claire in 1955, Anderson began his coaching career at the high school level, with stops in Auburndale, Plymouth, Superior, and Wausau, compiling a 239–75 record with three state tournament appearances over 12 years among the schools.[3]

Fort Lewis

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Anderson's tenure in Superior was interrupted by the Berlin Crisis of 1961. While stationed at Fort Lewis as a U.S. Army Reserve Special Services Officer, he posted a 41–5 record as the coach of the Fort Lewis Rangers, whose roster included Green Bay Packers players Ray Nitschke and Boyd Dowler.[4][5]

UW–Eau Claire

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Anderson was hired in 1968 by Eau Claire to succeed W.L. Zorn, who had retired following a 7–13 campaign. Anderson brought immediate results to the Blugolds, finishing his first season with a 14–8 record. Eau Claire won the first of five consecutive Wisconsin State University Conference titles in his second year, and advanced to the NAIA National Tournament, where they lost to eventual champion Kentucky State in the second round. The Blugolds returned to the NAIA tournament the following year, but were defeated in the quarterfinals by Eastern Michigan.[6] The senior-laden 1972 team led by Mike Ratliff and Frank Schade[7] advanced to the championship game, but were done in by a 39-point performance by Travis Grant as Kentucky State claimed a third consecutive title, 71–62.[8]

After five more trips to the NAIA tournament in Kansas City, including returns to the Final Four in 1980 and 1981, as well as a gold medal as coach of the United States team at the 1979 World University Games in Mexico City,[9][10] Anderson was named head coach at the University of Wisconsin after the 1981–82 season. But with Badger athletic director Elroy Hirsch infamously on a Caribbean cruise, Anderson was repeatedly referred to by the wrong name at his introductory press conference, and he resigned four days later to return to Eau Claire.[11]

Following the turbulent offseason, the 1982–83 Blugolds posted the worst record of Anderson's career (15–12), but they soon returned to form, going 25–5 in 1983–84 and beginning a run of seven straight trips to Kansas City in 1985–86. They reached the Final Four in 1989 and returned to the championship game in 1990. However, as in 1972, their title hopes were thwarted by a massive individual effort. Although Duane Bushman scored 30 points for Eau Claire, Stacy Butler's 36 points led Birmingham-Southern to an 88–80 win.[12][13]

The Blugolds returned to the quarterfinals in 1991[14] and made one final trip to Kansas City in 1992, but in 1994 Eau Claire became the last of the WSUC universities to switch affiliation from the NAIA to NCAA Division III.[15]

Anderson retired following the 1994–95 season, having compiled a record of 631–152, including 343–89 in WSUC play with 14 conference titles in his 27 years at the helm. His teams went 41–7 in NAIA District 14 playoff games, reaching the NAIA tournament 15 times and advancing to the Elite Eight eight times, the Final Four five times, and the national championship game twice.[16] Anderson's record in NAIA national tournament games was 28–16, despite the fact that Eau Claire – like all WSUC universities, but unlike much of their competition – did not offer athletic scholarships.[17] He was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame in 1990. In 2012, the playing surface at UW–Eau Claire's W.L. Zorn Arena, where Anderson amassed a 387–44 home record, was dedicated as Ken Anderson Court.[18]

Head coaching record

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Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
UW–Eau Claire Blugolds (Wisconsin State University Conference) (1968–1995)
1968–1969 UW–Eau Claire 14–8 11–5 3rd
1969–1970 UW–Eau Claire 24–2 15–1 1st NAIA Second Round
1970–1971 UW–Eau Claire 26–2 16–0 1st NAIA Elite Eight
1971–1972 UW–Eau Claire 29–2 16–0 1st NAIA Runner–up
1972–1973 UW–Eau Claire 21–4 14–2 T–1st
1973–1974 UW–Eau Claire 24–5 14–2 T–1st NAIA First Round
1974–1975 UW–Eau Claire 19–7 11–5 T–3rd
1975–1976 UW–Eau Claire 25–3 14–2 1st
1976–1977 UW–Eau Claire 22–6 13–3 1st
1977–1978 UW–Eau Claire 20–7 11–5 T–2nd
1978–1979 UW–Eau Claire 24–7 12–4 1st NAIA Second Round
1979–1980 UW–Eau Claire 30–4 15–1 1st NAIA Final Four
1980–1981 UW–Eau Claire 29–5 14–2 1st NAIA Final Four
1981–1982 UW–Eau Claire 26–6 13–3 T–1st NAIA Elite Eight
1982–1983 UW–Eau Claire 15–12 9–7 5th
1983–1984 UW–Eau Claire 25–5 13–3 3rd
1984–1985 UW–Eau Claire 24–5 13–3 2nd
1985–1986 UW–Eau Claire 24–7 11–5 3rd NAIA Second Round
1986–1987 UW–Eau Claire 26–4 13–3 T–1st NAIA First Round
1987–1988 UW–Eau Claire 23–8 11–5 3rd NAIA Second Round
1988–1989 UW–Eau Claire 29–4 14–2 T–1st NAIA Final Four
1989–1990 UW–Eau Claire 30–4 14–2 2nd NAIA Runner–up
1990–1991 UW–Eau Claire 29–3 14–2 1st NAIA Elite Eight
1991–1992 UW–Eau Claire 20–9 11–5 3rd NAIA First Round
1992–1993 UW–Eau Claire 19–7 12–4 3rd
1993–1994 UW–Eau Claire 19–6 11–5 3rd
1994–1995 UW–Eau Claire 15–10 8–8 4th
UW–Eau Claire: 631–152 343–89
Total: 631–152

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "University of Wisconsin-EAU Claire Athletics" (PDF).
  2. ^ Leader Telegram
  3. ^ "Kenneth Anderson Appointed Head Basketball Coach at WSU-EC - University of Wisconsin-EAU Claire Blugold Athletics". Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
  4. ^ "When the Green and Gold wore olive drab". dma.wi.gov. Archived from the original on August 25, 2014.
  5. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 1, 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. ^ "Latest biggie among the mighty smalls".
  7. ^ "A Big Name for the Small Colleges".
  8. ^ "University of Wisconsin-EAU Claire Athletics" (PDF).
  9. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on April 29, 2016. Retrieved June 16, 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. ^ "USA Basketball: TENTH WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES -- 1979". Archived from the original on July 29, 2014. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
  11. ^ "JS Online: Losing their way in '80s". Archived from the original on November 22, 2004. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
  12. ^ "Ellensburg Daily Record - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
  13. ^ "University of Wisconsin-EAU Claire Athletics" (PDF).
  14. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on May 6, 2016. Retrieved June 16, 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  15. ^ "JS Online: WIAC puts state on the map". Archived from the original on November 23, 2004. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
  16. ^ "University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Athletics" (PDF). University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Athletics. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
  17. ^ "University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Athletics" (PDF). University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Athletics. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
  18. ^ Leader Telegram
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