SIOUX FALLS – Presho native and former Dakota Wesleyan men’s basketball coach Gordie Fosness died Tuesday in Sioux Falls at age 85.
Fosness was the winningest coach in DWU history with 351 victories. He was the Tigers’ head coach from 1961 to 1982. Fosness’ teams won 11 conference championships, played in four NAIA regional playoffs and made the national NAIA tournament in 1964 and 1979.
Fosness played football and basketball for DWU, where he graduated in 1957 as South Dakota’s all-time leading collegiate scorer at the time with 1,805 points. He was drafted by the Minneapolis Lakers, becoming the first South Dakotan to be drafted by an NBA team. After being cut by the Lakers, he returned to South Dakota, coaching at Cavour and Gregory before going to his collegiate alma mater.
Fosness is enshrined in the South Dakota Hall of Fame, the South Dakota Basketball Hall of Fame and the NAIA Hall of Fame.
After his coaching career, Fosness spent 26 years with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, serving at various times as its state director, regional director and director of development.
Comments