University of South Dakota Athletics

Harvey Hanson is regarded as one of the most exciting players ever to wear a Coyote uniform. Following a distinguished prep career in which he led Webster to four state tournament and consecutive titles from 1946-48, Hanson excelled in both football and basketball at USD. He was rated the best end prospect at USD since the days of Ernie Gunderson (1938) and Elmo Solberg (1941). In the 1949-50 basketball season he was USD's second leading scorer at 8.5 per game. Hanson was an outstanding football player, earning all-North Central Conference honors in 1951. He was a key contributor on the 1951 NCC title team that went 7-1, including a perfect 6-0 in NCC play. Hanson became a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army, serving in Korea, Vietnam, and Germany before retiring from the service in 1972. He was president of the Vermillion Senior Center and active in the Boy Scouts.