Jerry Jones Kansas Wesleyan Coyote Athletic Hall of Fame
The 1954 Basketball team won the KCAC Championship with a 10-4 record, one game better than McPherson, Ottawa and College of Emporia. The Coyotes finished the year with a 17-7 overall record, outscoring their opponent by nearly ten points per game. KWU again advanced to the NAIA playoffs where they twice lost to eventual National Champion St. Benedict's (now Benedictine). John Stephen and Gary Cassel were First Team All-KCAC selections, Dean Groves was named Second Team All-KCAC and Carroll Cyr was named Honorable Mention All-KCAC.
Members of the 1954 team include: Coach Daffin "Swede" Backstrom, Butch Hayes, Dean Groves, Dan Smith, John Stephen, Ray Wilbur, Bob Harris, Kaye Pearce, Harold Morris, Carroll Cyr, Gary Cassel, Dean Naylor, David Soderberg, Edwin Taylor, Trainer Harold Frazell, Roland Root, Jim McClain, Bob Lindsey, Dean Johnson, Larry Houdek, Royce Johnson, Leroy Catlin, Bob Haibrink, Norman Vanderbilt, Harold Cooley.
