Harold G. “Oley” Olsen (1895-1953)

Hall of Fame Basketball Coach. Olsen grew up in Northern Wisonsin, and attended and graduated from the University of Wisconsin where he played on the varsity basketball squad for three years. After graduation he served in the Air Force and after his discharge became the head coach at Ripon University. In 1924 he was chosen to be the head basketball coach at Ohio State University where he remained for twenty- four years. During that tenure his teams won 255 games, five Big Ten Championships, and played in four Final Four appearances. In 1946 Olsen became the head basketball coach of the Chicago Stags in the National Professional Basketball League. He coached the Stags from 1946 through 1949 finishing with a record of 95 wins and 63 losses. In his second year as coach he took the Stags to the finals finishing as runner-up. When Dutch Lonborg resigned as Northwestern University's coach Olsen was offered, and accepted the head coaching position on April 6, 1850. He remained at Northwestern until the 1952 season was completed and resigned because of ill health. He was a 1959 charter member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

Bio by: Saratoga