Montana Western, University of

Coach 
On March 16, 1973, he was inducted into the NAIA Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame, the lone coach so honored that year. It was largely through his efforts that Western’s beautiful and functional Physical Education Complex was completed in 1968. A retired lieutenant commander in the U.S. Naval Reserve, Bill is a 1935 graduate of Western Montana College.

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Dedicated April 23, 1983 in respectful acknowledgment of the sportsmanship, leadership and humanitarianism epitomized by:
Professor and Athletic Director Emeritus
During his 36-year tenure at Western Montana College, Bill Straugh compiled one of the most impressive records in Treasure State Sports history. Among those achievements were 22 championships—10 in track, nine basketball, two football and one baseball. Under his guidance, WMC basketball teams were victorious in 362 of 591 outings, while earning nine Montana Collegiate conference trophies and five berths in the NAIA Finals at Kansas City, Missouri, over a quarter-century span. In 1973 he was elected to membership on the exclusive NAIA”Coaches Hall of Fame.”
A Native of Idaho, Bill attended White Sulphur Springs High School, graduated from Western Montana College in 1935 and coached five years at Glasgow before returning to Western as Athletic Director in 1940. His long and distinguished career at this college was interrupted by three years of service during World War II and he is now a lieutenant commander, ret., U.S. Navy Reserve.
Bill departed the coaching ranks in 1968 but continued as Western’s Athletic Director until his retirement in 1976.