Green Bay Athletics Honors Passing of Dave Buss, Legendary Men’s Basketball Coach
Posted on 7-16-2024
The University of Wisconsin – Green Bay and Green Bay Athletics are mourning the passing of the founder and first head coach of the Green Bay Phoenix men’s basketball program, Dave Buss.
As the first coach for Green Bay men’s basketball, Dave Buss led the team to almost immediate national success as head coach from 1969-1982 which included competing in NAIA, DII, and DI. His prolific teams included some of the most successful players in program history and recorded two NCAA DII runner-up finishes and three DII Final Four appearances.
“We mourn the passing of one of the foundational leaders of UW-Green Bay,” said UW-Green Bay Chancellor Michael Alexander. “Although I never had the opportunity to speak to Coach Buss, I can feel his amazing legacy in countless ways. You can measure greatness through wins and losses, but Coach Buss’ legacy can be felt in far more important ways. He created a belief in our University from its earliest stages, showed what is possible for the future, and made a profound difference in the lives of everyone I have spoken to who knew him. I join with our community in celebrating his life and mourning his passing.”
