Harold Olsen
 | This article includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. (June 2010) |
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 12, 1895 Rice Lake, Wisconsin |
| Died | October 29, 1953 (aged 58) |
| Playing career | |
| 1914–1917 | Wisconsin |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1918–1919 | Bradley |
| 1919–1922 | Ripon |
| 1922–1946 | Ohio State |
| 1946–1949 | Chicago Stags |
| 1950–1952 | Northwestern |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | College: 311–241 (.563) Professional: 95-63 (.601) |
| Tournaments | 6–4(.600) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| Big Ten Championship (1925, 1933, 1939, 1944, 1946) NCAA Runner-up (1939) NCAA Final Four (1944, 1945, 1946) 1947 BAA Runner-up | |
| Awards | |
| 1917 Helms Foundation All-American | |
| Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 1959 (profile) | |
| College Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 2006 | |
Harold G. Olsen (May 12, 1895 – October 29, 1953) was a college men's basketball coach. The Rice Lake, Wisconsin native was the head coach of the Ohio State University from 1922 to 1946. That year he became the first head coach of the BAA's Chicago Stags, where he coached almost three seasons before being replaced by Philip Brownstein. Olsen also coached at Northwestern University (1950–1952).
While playing at University of Wisconsin–Madison (1914–17), Olsen was named two-time All-Big Ten. After graduating from Wisconsin, he began his coaching career at Bradley University and Ripon College. In 1922 Olsen followed George Trautman as head coach of the Ohio State University. In 24 years he guided the Buckeyes to a 259–197 record, as well as five Big Ten championships (1925, 1933, 1939, 1944, 1946). In 1939, Olsen spearheaded efforts to create the NCAA postseason national playoffs, now known as the NCAA Tournament. Olsen also helped initiate the 10-second rule. In 1959 he was inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame as a contributor.
Head coaching record
College basketball
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bradley Braves (NCAA Independent) (1918–1919) | |||||||||
| 1918–19 | Bradley | 6-9 | |||||||
| Bradley: | 6–9 (.400) | ||||||||
| Ripon Red Hawks (NCAA Independent) (1919–1922) | |||||||||
| 1919–20 | Ripon | 11-2 | |||||||
| 1920–21 | Ripon | 9-3 | |||||||
| 1921–22 | Ripon | 7-5 | |||||||
| Ripon: | 27–10 (.730) | ||||||||
| Ohio State Buckeyes (Big Ten Conference) (1922–1946) | |||||||||
| 1922–23 | Ohio State | 4-11 | 1-11 | T-9th | |||||
| 1923–24 | Ohio State | 12–5 | 7–5 | 4th | |||||
| 1924–25 | Ohio State | 14-2 | 11-1 | 1st | |||||
| 1925–26 | Ohio State | 10-7 | 6-6 | 5th | |||||
| 1926–27 | Ohio State | 11-6 | 6-6 | 7th | |||||
| 1927–28 | Ohio State | 5-12 | 3-9 | T-7th | |||||
| 1928–29 | Ohio State | 9-8 | 6-6 | T–5th | |||||
| 1929–30 | Ohio State | 9-15 | 1-9 | 9th | |||||
| 1930–31 | Ohio State | 4-13 | 3-9 | 9th | |||||
| 1931–32 | Ohio State | 9-9 | 5-7 | 6th | |||||
| 1932–33 | Ohio State | 17–3 | 10–2 | T–1st | |||||
| 1933–34 | Ohio State | 8–12 | 4–8 | T–8th | |||||
| 1934–35 | Ohio State | 12-7 | 8-4 | T–4th | |||||
| 1935–36 | Ohio State | 12–8 | 5-7 | T–6th | |||||
| 1936–37 | Ohio State | 13-7 | 7-5 | 5th | |||||
| 1937–38 | Ohio State | 12-8 | 7-5 | T–3rd | |||||
| 1938–39 | Ohio State | 16-7 | 10–2 | 1st | NCAA Runner-up | ||||
| 1939–40 | Ohio State | 13-7 | 8–4 | 3rd | |||||
| 1940–41 | Ohio State | 10-10 | 7-5 | T-3rd | |||||
| 1941–42 | Ohio State | 6-14 | 4-11 | 9th | |||||
| 1942–43 | Ohio State | 8-9 | 5-7 | T-6th | |||||
| 1943–44 | Ohio State | 14-7 | 10–2 | 1st | NCAA Final Four | ||||
| 1944–45 | Ohio State | 15-5 | 10–2 | 2nd | NCAA Final Four | ||||
| 1945–46 | Ohio State | 16-5 | 10–2 | 1st | NCAA Final Four | ||||
| Ohio State: | 259–197 (.568) | 154–135 (.533) | |||||||
| Northwestern Wildcats (Big Ten Conference) (1950–1952) | |||||||||
| 1950–51 | Northwestern | 12-10 | 7-7 | T–4th | |||||
| 1951–52 | Northwestern | 7-15 | 4-10 | T-8th | |||||
| Northwestern: | 19–25 (.432) | 11–17(.393) | |||||||
| Total: | 311–241(.563) | ||||||||
|
National champion
Postseason invitational champion
| |||||||||
Professional basketball
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHS | 1946–47 | 61 | 39 | 22 | .639 | 1st in Western | 11 | 5 | 6 | .455 | Lost in BAA Finals |
| CHS | 1947–48 | 48 | 28 | 20 | .583 | 3rd in Western | 5 | 2 | 3 | .400 | Lost in BAA Semifinals |
| CHS | 1948–49 | 49 | 28 | 21 | .571 | 3rd in Western | 2 | 0 | 2 | .000 | Lost in BAA Div. Semifinals |
| Career | 158 | 95 | 63 | .601 | 18 | 7 | 11 | .389 |
See also
External links
- 1895 births
- 1953 deaths
- American basketball coaches
- Basketball players from Wisconsin
- Bradley Braves baseball coaches
- Bradley Braves men's basketball coaches
- Chicago Stags coaches
- Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees
- National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame inductees
- Northwestern Wildcats men's basketball coaches
- Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball coaches
- People from Barron County, Wisconsin
- Ripon Red Hawks football coaches
- Ripon Red Hawks men's basketball coaches
- Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball players