Francis Stadsvold

Francis Herbert "Dobie" Stadsvold (September 22, 1891 – December 7, 1965) was an American college basketball player, coach, and lawyer. As a forward for the Minnesota Golden Gophers between 1913–14 and 1916–17, he was named a consensus All-American in 1916–17. He later served as the head basketball coach at West Virginia University, leading the Mountaineers from 1919–20 through 1932–33 and compiling an overall record of 149–133. While still a Minnesota undergraduate, Stadsvold coached his hometown Fosston high school team to the championship of the first Minnesota state high school basketball tournament in 1913. After his coaching career, he practiced law in Minnesota and served as the Polk County attorney from 1935 to 1962.

Early life Stadsvold was born on September 22, 1891, in Fosston, Minnesota, to Sever and Millie Stadsvold. He graduated from Fosston High School in 1911 and enrolled at the University of Minnesota.

1913 state championship In 1913, while a sophomore at Minnesota, Stadsvold was invited to coach the Fosston High School team for the first Minnesota state high school basketball tournament, an invitational event held at Carleton College in Northfield. The team, which had no regular coach and practiced without a gymnasium, defeated Mountain Lake 29–27 in the final to win the inaugural state championship. Those accounts also reported that he sometimes wore shoulder pads to protect an injury and that he once scored seven field goals in a game against Illinois while playing with one arm in a sling.

After graduating with a degree in law in 1917, Stadsvold served in the United States Army artillery during World War I.

Coaching career On the recommendation of his former coach Louis Cooke, Stadsvold was hired as head basketball coach at West Virginia University. He led the Mountaineers from the 1919–20 season through 1932–33, compiling an overall record of 149–133. By a later account, he resigned after the 1932–33 season because the Great Depression had left no funds to pay coaching salaries.

Head coaching record