University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Basketball Legend and UNC Alum Jerry Krause Passes Away
6/8/2023 9:35:00 AM | Men's Basketball
GREELEY, Colo. -- The Northern Colorado Basketball community is saddened by the passing of coaching legend and UNC alum Jerry Krause. Krause was an assistant coach at UNC for three years, and received his master's degree in 1965 and his doctoral degree in 1967 from UNC. He was most recently inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame this past spring.
"All of Bear country is saddened by the passing of Coach Krause," head coach Steve Smiley said. "Coach was an absolute legend in the basketball profession and was passionate about his Bears until the very end. I'll always cherish talking to Coach even late in this past season in February, and hearing how he was excited he was and how proud he was of his alma mater after a big win that we had on national television. Coach was a great coach, but an even better person. He will be missed by many."
In 2009, Krause, along with the 1965-66 Bears basketball team, were inducted into the UNC Athletics Hall of Fame. Additionally, in 2001 he was honored by UNC with an Alumni Achievement Award for Contribution to Sport. The award is for alumni who have excelled in mentorship or role modeling while working with students in sports.
That 1965-66 Bears squad posted a 21-5 overall record and an 11-1 mark in Rocky Mountain Conference play en route to the league title. UNC, under the direction of head coach George Sage, received a berth to the NCAA Small College Regional Tournament for a third straight season.
The team topped the 100-point scoring mark in six games and entered the NCAA Tournament on an 11-game winning streak. Both Dennis Colson and Don Meyer were named All-American after the conclusion of the season and six players averaged in double figures in scoring.
The 21 wins also set the program record for most wins, which wasn't surpassed until 2009.
Krause eventually left UNC to take the head coaching position at Eastern Washington, where he spent 17 seasons as the head coach at Eastern Washington from 1967-85, winning 262 games and overseeing the Eagles' transitions from the NAIA to NCAA Division II and ultimately to Division I.
Krause later spent 20 years in operations roles at Gonzaga, helping build the program into a national power.
He has been a pioneer in basketball research and coaching education, for which he was honored with the NABC Guardians of the Game Award for Advocacy in 2003.
Krause is also a former member of the NABC Board of Directors and the NCAA Men's Basketball Rules Committee and was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame in 2000.
A driving force in the game of basketball throughout his life, that life of service came to an end on May 24 when Krause succumbed to cancer at the age of 87. Krause's Celebration of Life service will be June 14, 4 p.m. at The Kennel at Gonzaga University.
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"All of Bear country is saddened by the passing of Coach Krause," head coach Steve Smiley said. "Coach was an absolute legend in the basketball profession and was passionate about his Bears until the very end. I'll always cherish talking to Coach even late in this past season in February, and hearing how he was excited he was and how proud he was of his alma mater after a big win that we had on national television. Coach was a great coach, but an even better person. He will be missed by many."
In 2009, Krause, along with the 1965-66 Bears basketball team, were inducted into the UNC Athletics Hall of Fame. Additionally, in 2001 he was honored by UNC with an Alumni Achievement Award for Contribution to Sport. The award is for alumni who have excelled in mentorship or role modeling while working with students in sports.
That 1965-66 Bears squad posted a 21-5 overall record and an 11-1 mark in Rocky Mountain Conference play en route to the league title. UNC, under the direction of head coach George Sage, received a berth to the NCAA Small College Regional Tournament for a third straight season.
The team topped the 100-point scoring mark in six games and entered the NCAA Tournament on an 11-game winning streak. Both Dennis Colson and Don Meyer were named All-American after the conclusion of the season and six players averaged in double figures in scoring.
The 21 wins also set the program record for most wins, which wasn't surpassed until 2009.
Krause eventually left UNC to take the head coaching position at Eastern Washington, where he spent 17 seasons as the head coach at Eastern Washington from 1967-85, winning 262 games and overseeing the Eagles' transitions from the NAIA to NCAA Division II and ultimately to Division I.
Krause later spent 20 years in operations roles at Gonzaga, helping build the program into a national power.
He has been a pioneer in basketball research and coaching education, for which he was honored with the NABC Guardians of the Game Award for Advocacy in 2003.
Krause is also a former member of the NABC Board of Directors and the NCAA Men's Basketball Rules Committee and was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame in 2000.
A driving force in the game of basketball throughout his life, that life of service came to an end on May 24 when Krause succumbed to cancer at the age of 87. Krause's Celebration of Life service will be June 14, 4 p.m. at The Kennel at Gonzaga University.
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