Legendary Head Coach John Kresse headlines a special College of Charleston Athletics Hall of Fame induction class to be honored on Saturday, Feb. 28 at 10:30 a.m. (ET) in Silcox Gymnasium.
Kresse, who coached the Cougars to the 1983 NAIA National Championship and four NCAA Tournament appearances from 1979-2002, will be joined in recognition by former CofC Senior Vice President for Governmental Affairs and men’s golf head coach Daniel S. Dukes, IV (1984-2000) and former Executive Director of The Cougar Club Anita Condon van de Erve (1987-2007).
Tickets to the Hall of Fame buffet brunch and reception can be purchased for $20 in advance of the event. To make your reservation(s), please RSVP by Monday, Feb. 23, to CofC Associate AD/SWA Laura Lageman at (843) 953-5467 orLagemanL@cofc.edu.
DANIEL S. DUKES, IV (1984-2000)
Honorary (Class of ‘76)
A former student-athlete, coach and administrator at the College of Charleston, Daniel S. Dukes, IV, made significant contributions to the athletics program in all phases of his career – be it resurrecting a program, fundraising, recruiting, scheduling and being a nationally-competitive coach. He lettered in golf from 1972-76 and earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in public administration from CofC and the University of South Carolina. After resurrecting the golf program in the mid-1980s and developing a major scholarship endowment for the sport (a first by any coach at The College), Dukes immediately etched his competitive will into his teams on the links. In 1988, the Cougars won the NAIA District 6 title and finished 12th at the national tournament. For three-consecutive years, his teams were ranked in the Top 20 nationally. When The College moved to NCAA Division I status in 1991, Dukes immediately upgraded his scheduling and recruiting. The squad’s steady progress culminated in the 1994 season when CofC was ranked among the Top 50 teams in the nation for the first time. He mentored three All-Americans in future professional golfers: Mark Steelman, Jedd McLuen and Bruce McDonald. The program he built was so strong that after his retirement from coaching in 2000, the Cougars made three-consecutive NCAA Regional appearances and earned a spot in the national tournament where they finished 16th in 2001. Dukes was named CofC Distinguished Alumnus of the Year in 2008 and his legacy continues as the men’s golf program continues to win conference championships and advance to postseason tournament play.
JOHN KRESSE (1979-2002)
Honorary
An icon synonymous with the College of Charleston, legendary head coach John Kresse will go down in NCAA men’s basketball history as one of the greatest to ever coach the game. In 23 seasons with the Cougars, Kresse compiled an impressive 560-143 overall winning record (.797) and led his team to the 1983 NAIA National Championship title – a feat he still remembers as his No. 1 coaching accomplishment to date. He still owns the 11th-highest winning percentage in college basketball history (all division) and his NCAA Division I coaching record of 258-64 (.801) ranks as the fifth-best winning percentage in Division I. Only Jerry Tarkanian (20th year) won his 500th career game in fewer seasons than Kresse (21st year). When CofC moved to NCAA Division I status in 1989, Kresse and his players flourished, making four NCAA Tournament appearances and two NIT appearances. Known as “Giant Killers,” the Cougars defeated seemingly unstoppable teams in Maryland, North Carolina and Georgia Tech, and were recognized as the most successful team to ever make the leap from NAIA to NCAA Division I. In 1994, the Cougars received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament and went undefeated in the regular season and in the TAAC Tournament in 1997. The 1998-99 team also went unbeaten during the regular season and conference tournament in its first year as members of the Southern Conference – the first team in league history to go 19-0. The program achieved its highest-ever national ranking of No. 16 in 1997 and 1999 under Kresse, who earned Coach of the Year honors 10 different times in his illustrious career (NAIA, TAAC and SoCon). He is a member of the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame (1999), NAIA Hall of Fame (2005) and South Carolina Athletics Hall of Fame (2001). Kresse was also the recipient of the Order of the Palmetto – the highest civilian honor awarded by the Governor of South Carolina to recognize lifetime achievement and/or service to the state – in 1983. John Kresse Court at TD Arena is named in honor of him. In 2014, he was named the recipient of the Lapchick Character Award given to those who have shown the character traits of Naismith Hall of Fame Coach Joe Lapchick, who coached at Kresse’s alma mater, St. John’s (N.Y.) University, and with the New York Knicks.
ANITA CONDON VAN DE ERVE (1987-2007)
Honorary (Class of ‘70)
A former College of Charleston women’s basketball player from 1966-70, Anita Condon van de Erve made a lasting impact on her alma mater through her tireless work as Executive Director of The Cougar Club from 1987-2007. Her love of sports, her passion for student-athletes and their dreams, and her desire for crowds to attend games and share in the excitement of Cougar Athletics still continues on today. During her time with The Cougar Club, legendary head coach John Kresse and his teams’ success on the basketball court brought both attendance and enthusiasm to an all-time high at CofC. But, it was Condon van de Erve’s behind-the-scenes work which brought the home-court experience to a different level as she welcomed fans with her Charleston grace and charm. Condon van de Erve made everyone feel welcomed at games and knew fans and supporters by name. Coming to home basketball games was a Charleston event. Games were sold out and the game-day atmosphere led to the F. Mitchell Johnson Center (later renamed John Kresse Arena) being listed as one of the Top 10 toughest home courts in the country. While the on-court product was a success, people could not get enough of the in-game Cougar ambience Condon van de Erve helped create, adding that special touch. Great programs have had many people who helped lay a strong foundation for future success, and Condon van de Erve devoted countless hours to help make CofC Athletics successful.
