Ken Loeffler

Ken Loeffler

Loeffler from the 1956Aggieland
Biographical details
Born	(1902-04-14)April 14, 1902
Died	January 1, 1975(1975-01-01)(aged 72) Rumson, New Jersey,U.S.
Playing career
1920–1924	Penn State
Coaching career (HCunless noted)
1928–1935	Geneva
1935–1942	Yale
1945–1946	Denver
1946–1948	St. Louis Bombers
1948–1949	Providence Steamrollers
1949–1955	La Salle
1955–1957	Texas A&M
Head coaching record
Overall	320–213 (college) 79–90 (professional)
Tournaments	9–1 (NCAA) 5–3 (NIT) 4–6 (BAA playoffs)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
NCAA(1954) 2 NCAA Final Four (1954,1955) NIT(1952)
Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 1964 (profile)
College Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 2006

Kenneth D. Loeffler(April 14, 1902 – January 1, 1975) was an American collegiate and professionalbasketballcoach. He was mostly known for guiding theLa Salle Explorers men's basketballteam to the1952 National Invitation Tournamentand1954 NCAA basketball tournamenttitles.

After earning aBachelor's degreeatPennsylvania State University(1920–24) and a short pro basketball career (1924–29), theBeaver Falls, Pennsylvanianative began his collegiate coaching career atGeneva College(1928–35). In 1935 he became basketball head coach atYale University,and also assistant coach to thefootballandbaseballvarsity. In seven years at Yale Loeffler put up a 61–82 record. DuringWorld War IIhe served in theU.S. Air Force.

After the war Loeffler began coaching pro teams in theBasketball Association of America,first theSt. Louis Bombers(1946–48), then theProvidence Steamrollers(1948–49). In 1949 he returned to the college ranks when he became head coach at La Salle. With players like future Hall of FamerTom Gola,Loeffler's La Salle teams went on to dominate college basketball over half a decade in the early 1950s. In six seasons at La Salle, Loeffler led theExplorersto a post-season appearance in every single season. Under Loeffler, La Salle made four trips to the NIT (before it was considered "second-rate" ) and two visits to theNCAA tournament.In 1955 Loeffler moved on to become the head coach atTexas A&M College,a post he held until 1957.

On October 1, 1964, Loeffler was elected to theNaismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.He died on January 1, 1975, of an apparent heart attack, inRumson, New Jersey.

Head coaching record

College

Statistics overview

Season	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Postseason
Geneva Covenanters(Independent)(1928–1935)
1928–29	Geneva	14–5
1929–30	Geneva	10–9
1930–31	Geneva	13–10
1931–32	Geneva	14–7
1932–33	Geneva	13–6
1933–34	Geneva	13–9
1934–35	Geneva	16–7
Geneva:		93–53 (.637)
Yale Bulldogs(Eastern Intercollegiate Basketball League)(1935–1942)
1935–36	Yale	8–16	6–6	T–3rd
1936–37	Yale	12–8	7–5	T–3rd
1937–38	Yale	7–12	3–9	7th
1938–39	Yale	4–16	3–9	6th
1939–40	Yale	13–6	7–5	T–3rd
1940–41	Yale	10–12	4–8	T–4th
1941–42	Yale	7–12	3–9	6th
Yale:		61–82 (.427)	33–51 (.393)
Denver Pioneers(Mountain States Conference)(1945–1946)
1945–46	Denver	9–15	1–11	7th
Denver:		9–15 (.375)	1–11 (.083)
La Salle Explorers(Independent)(1949–1955)
1949–50	La Salle	21–4			NIT Quarterfinal
1950–51	La Salle	22–7			NIT First Round
1951–52	La Salle	24–5			NIT Champion
1952–53	La Salle	25–3			NIT Quarterfinal
1953–54	La Salle	26–4			NCAA Champion
1954–55	La Salle	26–5			NCAA Runner-up
La Salle:		144–28 (.837)
Texas A&M Aggies(Southwest Conference)(1955–1957)
1955–56	Texas A&M	6–18	3–9	T–5th
1956–57	Texas A&M	7–17	3–9	T–6th
Texas A&M:		13–35 (.271)	6–18 (.250)
Total:		320–213 (.600)
National champion Postseason invitational champion Conference regular season champion Conference regular season and conference tournament champion Division regular season champion Division regular season and conference tournament champion Conference tournament champion

Professional basketball

Legend

Regular season	G	Games coached	W	Games won	L	Games lost	W–L %	Win–loss %
Playoffs	PG	Playoff games	PW	Playoff wins	PL	Playoff losses	PW–L %	Playoff win–loss %

Team	Year	G	W	L	W–L%	Finish	PG	PW	PL	PW–L%	Result
SLB	1946–47	61	38	23	.623	2nd in Western	3	1	2	.333	Lost inLeague Quarterfinals
SLB	1947–48	48	29	19	.604	1st in Western	7	3	4	.429	Lost inLeague Semifinals
PRO	1948–49	60	12	48	.200	6th in Eastern	-	-	-	-	Missed Playoffs
Career		169	79	90	.467		10	4	6	.400

See also

• List of NCAA Division I Men's Final Four appearances by coach

External links

• Ken Loefflerat theNaismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame