Ken Loeffler

Ken Loeffler
Sport(s) Basketball
Biographical details
Born (1902-04-14)April 14, 1902
Died January 1, 1975(1975-01-01) (aged 72)
Playing career
1920–1924 Penn State
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1928–1934 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 College
370–213 (.635)

Professional
79–90 (.467)
Tournaments NCAA: 9-1 (.900)
NIT: 5-3 (.625)
NBA Playoffs: 4-6 (.400)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
NCAA champion (1954)
2× NCAA Final Four (1954, 1955)
NIT champion (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 professional basketball coach. He was mostly known for guiding the La Salle University men's basketball team to the 1954 NCAA championship and the 1952 National Invitation Tournament championship.

After earning a Bachelor's degree at Pennsylvania State University (1920–24) and a short pro basketball career (1924–29), the Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania native began his collegiate coaching career at Geneva College (1928–34). In 1934 he became basketball head coach at Yale University, and also assistant coach to the football and baseball varsity. In seven years at Yale Loeffler put up a 61-82 record. During World War II he served in the U.S. Air Force.

After the war Loeffler began coaching pro teams in the Basketball Association of America. First the St. Louis Bombers (1946–48), then the Providence 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 Fameer Tom 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 the Explorers to 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 the NCAA Tournament. In 1955 Loeffler moved on to become the head coach at Texas A&M College, a post he held until 1957.

On October 1, 1964, he was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Head coaching record

College basketball

Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Geneva Covenanters (Independent) (1928–1934)
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
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 Quarterfinals
1950–51 La Salle 22–7 NIT First Round
1951–52 La Salle 24–5 NIT Champions
1952–53 La Salle 25–3 NIT Quarterfinals
1953–54 La Salle 26–4 NCAA Champions
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: 370–213 (.635)

      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 %
Post season PG Playoff games PW Playoff wins PL Playoff losses PW–L % Playoff win-loss %
Team Year G W L WL% Finish PG PW PL PWL% Result
SLB 1946–47 613823.6232nd in Western312.333 Lost in League Quarterfinals
SLB 1947–48 482919.6041st in Western734.429 Lost in League Semifinals
PRO 1948–49 601248.2006th in Eastern---- Missed Playoffs
Career 1697990.467 1046.400

References

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