Gordon C. Stauffer
{{Short description|American basketball player and coach (1930–2019)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Gordon C. Stauffer
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| current_title =
| current_team =
| current_conference =
| current_record =
| contract =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1930|5|21}}
| birth_place = Fort Wayne, Indiana, U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2019|9|23|1930|5|21}}
| death_place = Sanford, Florida, U.S.
| alma_mater =
| player_years1 = 1948–1952
| player_team1 = Michigan State
| player_positions = Guard
| coach_years1 = 1959–1962
| coach_team1 = South Carolina (assistant)
| coach_years2 = 1962–1966
| coach_team2 = Oklahoma (assistant)
| coach_years3 = 1966–1967
| coach_team3 = Washburn
| coach_years4 = 1967–1975
| coach_team4 = Indiana State
| coach_years5 = 1975–1979
| coach_team5 = Purdue Fort Wayne
| coach_years6 = 1979–1981
| coach_team6 = Geneva
| coach_years7 = 1981–1990
| coach_team7 = Nicholls State
| overall_record = 299–331
| bowl_record =
| tournament_record =
| championships = NCAA Great Lakes Regional (1968)
Indiana Collegiate Conference (1968)
Central Intercollegiate Conference (1967)
| awards = Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame (2004)
| coaching_records =
}}
Gordon C. Stauffer (May 21, 1930 – September 23, 2019) was an American college basketball coach. He was the head men's basketball coach at Indiana State University; leading their transition from NCAA College Division (now Division II) to Division I and membership in the Midwestern Conference and ultimately the Missouri Valley Conference.
Stauffer also coached at Washburn University, Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW), at Geneva College, and his last college position was at Nicholls State, where he coached the Colonels from 1981 to 1990, again leading the school through a transition period from Division II to Division I.
Playing career
A Fort Wayne, Indiana South High star, led the Archers to Sectional and Regional titles in his Junior season (1947); he was tabbed 'Honorable Mention All-State' and attended Michigan State on a basketball scholarship. While at Michigan State, he was a member of their first Big Ten Conference team, and was the second-leading scorer in 1952. He lettered three seasons for the Spartans.{{cite web|url=http://spartanstars.home.comcast.net/~spartanstars/msubasketball.htm |title=Michigan State Basketball Alumni |publisher=Spartanstars.home.comcast.net |access-date=2015-07-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150721154905/http://spartanstars.home.comcast.net/~spartanstars/msubasketball.htm |archive-date=2015-07-21 }}
He was coached by two coaches, most notably Hall-of-Famer Pete Newell.
Stauffer was drafted in the 1952 NBA draft by the Indianapolis Olympians.{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/draft/NBA_1952.html |title=1952 NBA Draft |publisher=Basketball-Reference.com |date=1952-04-26 |access-date=2015-07-27}}
While he was the first Michigan State player ever picked in an NBA draft,{{cite web|url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/msu/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/0910MBBHistorytradition.pdf|title=Spartans NBA draft picks|publisher=grfx.cstv.com|access-date=2015-07-27|archive-date=2016-03-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303172703/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/msu/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/0910MBBHistorytradition.pdf|url-status=dead}} he never played for the Olympians.
Coaching career
To begin his coaching career, Stauffer moved into the high school coaching ranks in his home state of Indiana, where he coached the Royerton Redbirds from 1955 to 1959. He left Royerton to move into the college coaching ranks at the University of South Carolina, where he assisted Walt Hambrick and Bob Stevens; he then moved to the University of Oklahoma with Bob Stevens as the top assistant.
He got his first head coaching job with Washburn University; after a winning season in his first year, he moved up the ranks to Indiana State. After eight seasons in Terre Haute at Indiana State, he took the head job at Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne. He then spent two seasons at Geneva College, leading them to the NCCAA playoffs in each season. After Geneva College, Stauffer spent nine seasons at Nicholls State before retiring to Florida.{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/coaches/gordon-stauffer-1.html |title=Gordon Stauffer Coaching Record | College Basketball at |publisher=Sports-reference.com |date=1930-05-21 |access-date=2015-07-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905185932/http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/coaches/gordon-stauffer-1.html |archive-date=2015-09-05 }}
Personal life
Stauffer died on September 23, 2019, at age 89.{{cite news|title=Former MBB head coach Gordon Stauffer passes away|url=https://geauxcolonels.com/news/2019/9/27/general-former-mbb-head-coach-gordon-stauffer-passes-away.aspx|date=September 27, 2019|work=Nicholls Colonels|access-date=October 19, 2019}}
Stauffer was preceded by his son in death. He left behind his two daughters, his wife, and four grandchildren.
Head coaching record
{{CBB Yearly Record Start
|type=coach
|conference=
|postseason=
|poll=no
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead|
|name=Washburn
|startyear=1966
|conference=Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
|endyear=1967
|}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| season = 1966–67
| name = Washburn
| overall = 15–6
| conference = 6–2
| confstanding = T–1st
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Washburn
| overall = {{Winning percentage|15|6|record=y}}
| confrecord = {{Winning percentage|6|2|record=y}}
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead|
|name=Indiana State
|startyear=1967
|conference=Indiana Collegiate Conference
|endyear=1968
|}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| season = 1967–68
| name = Indiana State
| overall = 23–8
| conference = 9–3
| confstanding = T–1st
| postseason = NCAA College Division Runner-up
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead|
|name=Indiana State
|startyear=1968
|conference=NCAA D-II Independent
|endyear=1970
|}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = 1968–69
| name = Indiana State
| overall = 13–13
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = 1969–70
| name = Indiana State
| overall = 16–10
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead|
|name=Indiana State
|startyear=1970
|conference=Midwestern Conference
|endyear=1972
|}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = 1970–71
| name = Indiana State
| overall = 17–9
| conference = 5–3
| confstanding = 2nd
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = 1971–72
| name = Indiana State
| overall = 12–14
| conference = 4–4
| confstanding = 3rd
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead|
|name=Indiana State
|startyear=1972
|conference=NCAA D-I Independent
|endyear=1975
|}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = 1972–73
| name = Indiana State
| overall = 16–10
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = 1973–74
| name = Indiana State
| overall = 12–14
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = 1974–75
| name = Indiana State
| overall = 12–14
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Indiana State
| overall = {{Winning percentage|121|90|record=y}}
| confrecord = {{Winning percentage|18|10|record=y}}
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead|
|name=Purdue Fort Wayne
|startyear=1975
|conference=NCAA D-III Independent
|endyear=1979
|}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = 1975–76
| name = Purdue-Fort Wayne
| overall = 15–12
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = 1976–77
| name = Purdue-Fort Wayne
| overall = 8–19
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = 1977–78
| name = Purdue-Fort Wayne
| overall = 8–16
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = 1978–79
| name = Purdue-Fort Wayne
| overall = 6–21
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Purdue-Fort Wayne
| overall = {{Winning percentage|37|68|record=y}}
| confrecord =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead|
|name=Geneva
|startyear=1979
|conference=NAIA
|endyear=1981
|}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = 1979–80
| name = Geneva
| overall = 15–12
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason = NCCAA
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = 1980–81
| name = Geneva
| overall = 10–16
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason = NCCAA
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Geneva
| overall = {{Winning percentage|25|28|record=y}}
| confrecord =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead|
|name=Nicholls State
|startyear=1981
|conference=NCAA D-I Independent
|endyear=1984
|}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = 1981–82
| name = Nicholls State
| overall = 6–20
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead|
|name=Nicholls State
|startyear=1982
|conference=Trans America Athletic Conference
|endyear=1984
|}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = 1982–83
| name = Nicholls State
| overall = 16–12
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason = Ineligible for TAAC title
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = 1983–84
| name = Nicholls State
| overall = 19–7
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason = Ineligible for TAAC title
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead|
|name=Nicholls State
|startyear=1984
|conference=Gulf Star Conference
|endyear=1987
|}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = 1984–85
| name = Nicholls State
| overall = 17–10
| conference = 6–4
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = 1985–86
| name = Nicholls State
| overall = 8–16
| conference = 2–8
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = 1986–87
| name = Nicholls State
| overall = 9–18
| conference = 1–9
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead|
|name=Nicholls State
|startyear=1987
|conference=NCAA D-I Independent
|endyear=1990
|}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = 1987–88
| name = Nicholls State
| overall = 10–18
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = 1988–89
| name = Nicholls State
| overall = 12–16
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = 1989–90
| name = Nicholls State
| overall = 4–23
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Nicholls State
| overall = {{Winning percentage|101|140|record=y}}
| confrecord = {{Winning percentage|9|21|record=y}}
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record End
|overall= {{Winning percentage|299|331|record=y}}
}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{navboxes|list=
{{Washburn Ichabods men's basketball coach navbox}}
{{Indiana State Sycamores men's basketball coach navbox}}
{{IPFW Mastodons men's basketball coach navbox}}
{{Geneva Golden Tornadoes men's basketball coach navbox}}
{{Nicholls State Colonels basketball coach navbox}}
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stauffer, Gordon C.}}
Category:American men's basketball coaches
Category:American men's basketball players
Category:Basketball coaches from Indiana
Category:Basketball players from Fort Wayne, Indiana
Category:Geneva Golden Tornadoes men's basketball coaches
Category:Indianapolis Olympians draft picks
Category:Indiana State Sycamores men's basketball coaches
Category:Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons men's basketball coaches
Category:Michigan State Spartans men's basketball players
Category:Nicholls Colonels men's basketball coaches
Category:Oklahoma Sooners men's basketball coaches
Category:South Carolina Gamecocks men's basketball coaches
Category:Sportspeople from Fort Wayne, Indiana