NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The St. Olaf College men’s basketball program is deeply saddened by the passing of former head coach Dave Buss, who led the program for seven seasons from 1987-94.
During his seven seasons as head coach at St. Olaf, Buss led the Oles to a 101-74 (.577) record, including a mark of 79-61 (.564) in Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) play before retiring. His teams posted winning records in six of his seven seasons, including the 1988-89 MIAC co-regular-season champion team that went 16-4 in conference play to win the program’s first MIAC title in 59 years.
“Dave Buss was a coach who knew exactly what he wanted, how it was going to be accomplished, and expected your best effort in all areas of your life,” said St. Olaf Head Men’s Basketball Coach Dan Kosmoski. “His basketball knowledge and wisdom were off the charts and beyond. I took over the program right after Coach Buss retired and we would visit a few times each year, an occasional stop at our Alumni Golf Event, and connecting yearly at the NCAA Final Four. Each year, I was always so appreciative of his kindness, support, and genuine enthusiasm for the Ole basketball program. When the Oles had a challenging year, his words of encouragement were never forgotten. When the Oles had a successful season, no one was more excited than Coach Buss. The basketball community lost a legend of the game, and he will be missed by many!”
Prior to his time at St. Olaf, Buss was the founder and first head coach of the men’s basketball program at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, where he went 271-102 (.726) over 13 seasons from 1969-82. From 1977-81, the Phoenix played in three NCAA Division II Final Fours, including back-to-back national runner-up finishes in 1977-78 and 1978-79. He is one of the only coaches in collegiate history to coach at the NAIA, NCAA Division II, and NCAA Division I levels at the same school. Buss also coached at Long Beach State University, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), and the Qatar National Team.
Dave Buss
 Buss in 1979 | |
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 20, 1938 Marshfield, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Died | July 2024 (aged 86) |
| Alma mater | University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 19??–19?? | Palmyra HS |
| ???–1960s | Winona State (MN) (assistant) |
| 1967–1969[1] | West Virginia Tech (assistant) |
| 1969–1982 | Green Bay |
| 1982–1983 | UNLV (assistant) |
| 1983–1984 | Long Beach State |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 23–32 |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Awards | |
| NCAA Division II Coach of the Year (1979) | |
David R. Buss[2] (April 20, 1938[3] – July 11, 2024) was an American basketball coach.
Life and career
Buss was born in Marshfield, Wisconsin. He played baseball at Coalinga Junior College and Florida State University. He attended the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, earning his bachelor’s degree.[1][4]
Buss began his coaching career at Palmyra High School. After coaching at Palmyra, he served as an assistant coach at Winona State University and West Virginia Tech.[1]
In 1969, Edward Weidner hired Buss to serve as head coach[5] for the Green Bay Phoenix men’s basketball team. He was fired on April 9, 1982 and was replaced by assistant head coach Dick Lien.[5][6]
In September 1982, Buss was hired to serve as an assistant coach at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.[7] The next year, he was named to replace Tex Winter as head coach[8] for the Long Beach State Beach men’s basketball team. He resigned from his head coaching position in 1984.[9]
Buss died on July 11, 2024,[10] at the age of 86.
Honors
In 1979, Buss was named as NCAA Division II Coach of the Year.[8]
References
- “UWGB will remove Buss as coach”. Green Bay Press-Gazette. Green Bay, Wisconsin. April 5, 1982. p. 17. Retrieved March 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- “The Buss Factor”. Green Bay Press-Gazette. Green Bay, Wisconsin. November 8, 1979. p. 33. Retrieved March 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- “Dave Buss”. Sports Reference. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
- “Wisconsin-Green Bay Men’s Basketball Guide”, University of Wisconsin–Green Bay, 1973
- “Lien replaces Buss at UWGB”. Green Bay Press-Gazette. Green Bay, Wisconsin. April 10, 1982. p. 17. Retrieved March 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- “Buss says UWGB bosses interfered with coaching”. Green Bay Press-Gazette. Green Bay, Wisconsin. May 1, 1982. p. 17. Retrieved March 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- “Buss lands assistant job at Las Vegas”. Green Bay Press-Gazette. Green Bay, Wisconsin. September 3, 1982. p. 17. Retrieved March 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- “Dave Buss, an assistant coach at Nevada-Las Vegas last…” United Press International. April 8, 1983. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
- “Dave Buss, the head basketball coach at Long Beach…” United Press International. March 27, 1984. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
- “Dave Buss, 1st Phoenix MBB coach, passes”. WBAY-TV. July 15, 2024. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
