Xing Wu
Related Articles
Legendary Indiana State alumnus and professor emeritus Duane Klueh has donated $ 100,000 to create the Duane and Mary Alice Klueh Endowment in support of the men’s basketball program.
The gift will honor the long-standing bond Klueh and his late wife have with the university.
Klueh was an All-America basketball player at Indiana State in 1948. Under coach John Wooden, he led the Sycamores to second place in the NAIA tournament. He played two seasons in the early years of the NBA and was also a star of tennis, a sport he played until he was 80.
Klueh graduated from Indiana State in 1949 with a degree in physical education and received a master’s degree in 1951. He returned to his alma mater in 1955 to teach physical education and coach basketball and basketball. men’s tennis at the age of 28. for 12 years and tennis for 26 years.
“Almost all of the good things that have happened to me in my life are the result of being a student-athlete or a teacher and coach at Indiana State,†Klueh said. “It’s my motivation to try to help in any way I can.”
Klueh received the Distinguished Alumni Award from ISU in 1990 and the March On! Award for Philanthropy in 2014. He was inducted into the inaugural class of the Indiana State University Hall of Fame in 1982, and the Duane Klueh Tennis Complex on the Indiana State campus was named in his honor in 2003.
“Duane Klueh is a legend of the State of Indiana with a great passion for athletics and this university,†said ISU President Deborah J. Curtis. “We are grateful that he chose to continue to make an impact in the lives of our student-athletes through this donation.”
According to Sherard Clinkscales, ISU Sports Director: “Coach Klueh embodies everything it means to be a Sycamore. His legacy as a student-athlete, coach, teacher and administrator has left an indelible mark on this institution. Her gift personifies her love for Indiana State Basketball. We are grateful for this donation, as philanthropic donations are essential to maintain the current level of support for athletics. “
ISU men’s basketball coach Josh Schertz praised Klueh’s legacy.
“Coach Duane Klueh is, in my opinion and that of many others, the most important and impactful person in the history of our program,†said Schertz. “His personal heritage goes beyond his incredible professional heritage. Coach has spent his entire life giving and making an impact on people. And this gift is just the latest example of a life full of generosity and philanthropy. We are very grateful to the coach for this gift, but most of all, we are blessed that Duane Klueh is a Sycamore. “
A member of the NAIB basketball team of all time, Klueh went on to become Sycamore’s all-time leading scorer and currently ranks ninth in Indiana State’s all-time leading scorer with 1,432 points. . Klueh’s # 54 jersey was retired in 2004 and is one of only four jerseys retired in ISU history. Klueh won the Little States Singles Championship tennis tournament in 1948 in Indiana.
Klueh played for the Denver Nuggets in the NBA in 1949-50 and the Fort Wayne Pistons in 1950-51.
He has been selected four times as the Indiana Collegiate Conference Coach of the Year in basketball. Klueh’s side scored 182 victories during his 12-year tenure as head coach, earning Klueh the honor of being the most successful coach in program history. He was president of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Basketball Coaches. He is a member of the Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame, the NAIA Hall of Fame and the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.
Regarding his gift to the ISU, Klueh said: “I hope this will allow sports programs, especially basketball, not only to achieve but to maintain the level of competition and the ability to attract good players. people, good players and individuals in college. have great optimism for the continued excellence of all sports in college, especially basketball.
Photo by Duane Klueh
Media contacts:
Mark Alesia, Director of University Communication
(O) 812-237-3837
(C) 812-229-8020
Dianne Powell, Associate Director of University Communications
(O) 812-237-8764
(C) 812-878-2131
