Ken Anderson (basketball)

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]

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]

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]