University of South Dakota Athletics

If there was ever a colorful man behind the scenes of South Dakota athletics during the past 26 years, then it would have to be USD Assistant Athletic Director Dwane Clodfelter. He and his 1957-58 national championship team was inducted into the Coyote Sports Hall of Fame in a special ceremony in 1980. The Woonsocket native directed the Coyotes to consecutive North Central Conference titles in 1956-57 and 1957-58, recording a 41-9 record and a 23-1 mark in the NCC. He was the head coach of the only national championship basketball team in school history, as the Coyotes rolled to a 22-3 record in 1957-58, culminating with a 75-53 win over St. Michaels of Vermont in the small college championship at Evansville, IN. Overall, Clodfelter coached the Coyotes 13 seasons, registering a 149-153 (.493) overall record. In NCC play, he guided his squad to an 89-67 (.571) record. He began a 15-year high school coaching at Centerville (1943-49), Yankton (1949-50), and Huron (1950-53) before he came to USD as a freshman coach in 1953. He coached basketball at USD for 13 years before stepping aside in 1967.