Gustavus Adolphus College

Gus Young had a colorful eight year career at Gustavus and as coach was an irrepressible sort of person, full of optimism, ideas and daring. It was during his reign that Jon Hutton's Hamline Pipers were dethroned as the perennial champions of the MIAC. It took Gus a season to get-acquainted and then three years as runners-up before he became the league's dominant personality with a three year championship run - - 1954, 1955, 1956. His overall conference record was 82 wins and 34 losses. His teams played colleges from 20 different states, and he believed that sports had a great part to play in the development of a boy's character so his teams always looked and acted the part of a gentleman. Gus loved showmanship. In his typical fun-loving manner, he introduced fancy warm-up drills with multi-colored basketballs, a tuxedo-suited pep band, half-time variety shows that featured a 100-voice male chorus and spotlighted flag ceremonies. He was a basketball impresario. Gus graduated from Carleton College in 1932 and was captain of the famous Victory Five, a basketball team which lost only one game in three years. His coaching years, prior to Gustavus, included time at Warroad, Buffalo, Hutchinson and Austin high schools and Carleton College and the University of Minnesota. He was in the bowling alley and restaurant business for many years and was active in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Gus died on October 31, 1977.