St. Cloud State University mourns the loss of Noel Olson
5/12/2019 9:05:00 AM | Men's Basketball
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The St. Cloud State University Athletics Department mourns the loss of former men's basketball coach and Athletic Director Noel Olson, who passed away on May 10, 2019.
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Olson served as the head men's basketball coach at St. Cloud State University from 1969 to 1981. His teams at SCSU won conference titles in 1970 and 1976 and also earned the University's first NCAA DII tournament bid in 1974. Olson was named the conference's coach of the year twice during his tenure at St. Cloud State.
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In 1976, Olson was named St. Cloud State's Athletic Director and eight years later he was named the North Central Conference commissioner. He worked with the NCC until his retirement in 1997.
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Noel Olson
 "Upon my arrival at St. Cloud State almost seven years ago, Noel was one of the earlier connections I made," SCSU Director of Athletics Heather Weems said. "As a former basketball coach at SCSU, and later as a conference administrator, Noel had great passion for our programs and the Division II philosophy. He and Kathy were a welcomed presence at basketball games, and we were fortunate to include him and alum Dan Hagen earlier this winter in celebrating Gage Davis as he surpassed the Huskies' men's basketball career scoring record. Our thoughts and prayers are with Noel's family and loved ones as they remember and honor his life."
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Olson was born on March 4, 1932 in Fergus Falls, Minn. He graduated from Fergus Falls H.S. and went on to play basketball, football and tennis at St. Olaf College. Olson went on to earn his master's degree from the University of North Dakota before playing and coaching in the Air Force and later at high schools in Fertile, Minn. and Virginia, Minn. He entered the college coaching ranks in 1963 at the University of Minnesota, Morris.
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Survivors include his with Kathleen "Kathy" Olson of St. Cloud, Minn.; daughters, Julia Olson and Carole (Tim) Kerkaer; grandson, Decker; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Mike and Dorothy Simpson.
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Funeral services will be Thursday, May 16, 2019 at 11:00 AM at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, St. Cloud, MN. Visitation will be Wednesday, May 15, 2019 from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at Benson Funeral Home, St. Cloud, MN and one hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday. Burial will be in North Star Cemetery, St. Cloud, Minn.Â
