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DSU alum Anderson named to South Dakota Sports Hall of Fame
December 2, 2010
MADISON, S.D. - Cliff Anderson is one of ten members named to the 2011 South Dakota Sports Hall of Fame. The induction is set for April 9, 2011 at the Sioux Falls Convention Center. The South Dakota Sportswriter Association established the Sports Hall of Fame in 1968. The 2011 class will boost the total membership to 215.
Anderson is a 1973 Dakota State graduate, and a 1969 graduate of Dell Rapids High School. In high school, he was first-team All-State in basketball and football in his senior year. Anderson also set a state high jump record (6 feet and 5 3/8 inches) and placed in three events at the state track meet. He led his American Legion baseball team to back-to-back state titles, earning honors as the American Legion baseball player of the year.
Anderson continued his athletic career at Dakota State where he participated in basketball, football, track and baseball. Anderson was All-South Dakota-Iowa Intercollegiate Conference (SDIC) for three years (1971-1973) in basketball and All-NAIA District 12 twice. He was NAIA All-American his senior year, averaging 29.4 points and 12 rebounds per game. He was third in the nation in scoring behind future NBA stars ML Carr and Nate Archibald.
Anderson was a four-year starter and two-time All-SDIC wide receiver in football, a three-year starter as first baseman in baseball (.320 average) and he set a conference record in the high jump as a freshman on the track team. In all, he earned 12 varsity letters and was a member of the victorious 1971 Boothill Bowl football squad.
Following college, Anderson was a graduate assistant for the football and basketball teams at Western Illinois and was drafted by the Israeli Sabres basketball team in 1975.
Anderson returned to Dakota State as a men's basketball coach. He was also an assistant coach in football. He was the youngest coach in the nation at the age of 23 and coached at DSU for four years. He also coached at LeMars High School in Iowa for three years. He and his wife currently live in Graham, Wash.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
