Visit the Hall of Fame

Inside the Pentagon at the Sanford Sports Complex in Northwest Sioux Falls

The 160,000-square-foot, 9-basketball-court Sanford Pentagon has been the home of the South Dakota High School Basketball Hall of Fame since the fall of 2013, when it moved from Madison, South Dakota, where the hall of fame was established in 2010.

The Hall of Fame exists to record and preserve the history of outstanding basketball players and teams from across the state of South Dakota. The game of basketball has been enjoyed by so many South Dakotans, and we feel we must never lose the history and intrigue of the people involved. We must always remember.

Hall of Fame Hours

On weekends, select hours during sporting events

South Dakota High School Basketball Hall of Fame
Sanford Pentagon
2210 W Pentagon Pl
Sioux Falls, SD 57107

Hall of Fame Exhibits

Our exhibits allow visitors to experience the proud heritage of South Dakota basketball. As we move forward, our goal is to ensure that the Hall of Fame will provide an ongoing historical narrative and will serve as an inspiration for future generations.

— Executive Director Dave Wagner (2014)

Interactive Digital Kiosk

200+ Inductees photos and bios
14 Teams of Excellence
Induction Ceremony Programs (and recent photo galleries)
Records & Awards (athlete, team, coach) (points, assists, rebounds, 3-pointers)
Newsletters

1st Floor Exhibits

The main Hall of Fame exhibit area is on the first floor of the Pentagon near the main entrance and features plaques commemorating all of the Hall of Fame inductees. Also featured is an interactive touchscreen kiosk mounted on a wall near the northwest entry door. The Hall of Fame kiosk offers the public an accessible glimpse into the greatest players and the most accomplished teams to ever perform on the basketball courts of our state through digital biographies and photos of all Hall of Fame inductees, capsule overviews of the Teams of Excellence, a register of state championship teams, and more. You can also access the digital kiosk online from the comfort of your own computer or mobile device.

Hall of Fame Room 2110

The memorabilia-filled Hall of Fame Room 2110 is available via free tours or individual appointments. Among the collections and exhibits on display are:

Converse Basketball Yearbooks 1955-1978

The 24-edition Converse Basketball Yearbook collection of the late Argus Leader sports editor and columnist John Egan has been inventoried and is available for inspection. The issues cover the years 1955 through 1978.

SoDak Sports Collection

View all editions of SoDak Sports, the weekly newspaper that chronicled all sports statewide during 1952-1954. It was created and published by Al Neuharth, the Alpena High School graduate who later became founder of USA TODAY.

Legendary Coaches Exhibit

See the tribute to two of the greatest players and most accomplished coaches in state history. Russell “Sox” Walseth and Jim Iverson were both standout South Dakota athletes, collegiate basketball starters, and legendary South Dakota State University and University of Colorado coaches.

All-Time State Scoring Leaders Exhibit

Recount the high school careers that led White River’s Louie Krogman and Mitchell Christian’s Jill Young to all-time state scoring totals of more than 3,000 points each, as well as the thousands of points they went on to score in their South Dakota college basketball careers.

Schedule Your Free Tour

If your school, church, civic or social group would like a free tour guided by a Hall of Fame official, or if you wish to schedule a presentation by a member of the Hall of Fame speaker’s bureau who will come to address your group, contact us.

2nd Floor Exhibits

Additional items of interest are positioned along the corridors of the second floor, including panels highlighting:

State Championship Teams 1912-1985
Catholic State Tournament Champions 1937-1964
Undefeated Teams
State Tournament Venues

The panels feature 8 x 10-inch pictures of each championship team, rosters, the final score of the championship game, and a list of the other schools that also participated in the tournament.

Don’t miss our rare photos of Daum’s Auditorium in Huron, where the first tournament was held in 1912, and Spafford Hall in Aberdeen.

Hall of Fame Leadership

The Hall of Fame is a non-profit organization which was chartered as a 501(c)(3) in 2009. Here are its current leaders:

Board of Directors

LaMoine Torgerson
Lee Stoddard
Jesse Mendoza
Rob Van Laecken
Lynn Frederick
Bill Marquardt
Matt Ditmanson
Jim Drake
Sam Goodhope

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to view the exhibits at the Sanford Pentagon?

The exhibits can be enjoyed in an hour or less. For basketball history enthusiasts, there are places were one could linger longer.

Does it cost to visit the exhibits?

The exhibits are free to the public.

I have memorabilia to donate to the Hall of Fame. What is the process to donate items?

Please contact us at admin@sdbbhof.com or call Dave Wagner (605)467-3010 or Mary Pennington (970)946-2605 to let us know what items you have. We will determine if they are items that can be used in our displays.

I have items that I would love the Hall of Fame to display, but do not wish to donate those items permanently. Is that possible?

Yes. We are willing to take items on loan and will return them at the agreed upon date.

How do I order induction banquet tickets?

Visit our events page for upcoming events and info about event tickets.

How do I contribute to the Hall of Fame?

Visit our Donate page for more info about contributing to the South Dakota High School Basketball Hall of Fame.

How do I submit a nomination for a player?

You can nominate players on our Nominate page and learn more about the selection criteria.