Gayle Hoover

Born Dec. 15, 1934. Washington High and 1958 Sioux Falls College grad. Ranks as one of the state's finest both as a player and as a coach. At SFC, the 6-foot-2 Hoover became the first South Dakota college player to score over 2,000 career points (2,069). He averaged 28.5 points during the 1956-57 season. Forty years later, he still held many SFC records.

Hoover coached boys basketball at Parker for 34 years. He retired after the 1992-93 season as the winningest coach in state basketball history, with a 577-217 record. He guided Parker to eight state tournaments, including runner-up finishes in 1968, '73 and '74.

Hoover also is a member of the South Dakota Softball Hall of Fame. He played second base on eight state fastpitch championship teams and coached the Sioux Falls Locke Electric women's fastpitch team to three straight state titles (1958-60). Also coached football, track and baseball.