Former Marshfield High School Sports Standout Passes

Monday, August 5th, 2024 -- 11:01 AM

Former Marshfield High School sports standout Dave Buss passed away earlier this month at the age of 86.

Buss was a 1956 Marshfield High School graduate, who played football, basketball and baseball for the Tigers. He led the Tiger boys basketball team in scoring with 364 points in 1956, and remains 24-th on Marshfield’s career boys basketball scoring list with 625 points.

Buss played college baseball at Florida State, and later received college degrees from UW-Eau Claire and Winona State. He was selected by Vince Lombardi to be the first men’s basketball coach at UW-Green Bay, and remains the winningest men’s basketball coach in Phoenix history.

He led Green Bay to three NCAA Division II Final Fours, and also led the school’s transition from Division II to Division I athletics. Buss also assisted Jerry Tarkanian at Nevada-Las Vegas, and served as head coach at Long Beach State and at St. Olaf of Minnesota.

Upon retiring, Buss and his wife Ruth settled in Horseshoe Bay, Texas. A celebration of Buss’ life will be held at Hansen-Schilling Funeral Home in Marshfield on Friday, August 9, between 11:00 and 1:00. Buss was inducted into the Marshfield Tiger Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008.

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