University of South Dakota Athletics

W.L. "Billy" Ryan is one of the great all-time running backs in school history. Ryan, who earned all-NCC honors in both 1936 and 1937 was South Dakota's first (currently recorded) All-American. He was honored in 1937 on the Associated Press's Little All-American Team as a First Team selection at halfback. Ryan also lettered in basketball at South Dakota and he graduated from USD in 1939.

From March 1941 to May 1952, Ryan was a special agent and supervising agent with the FBI. In 1952, he joined the Indland Steel Company, East Chicago, Indiana and had been assistant general manager of Industrial Relations since 1957. Ryan later lived in Porter, Indiana. 

Photo is from the USD Athletics Archives. Year the picture taken is unknown.