Being a multi-sport athlete in Division 1 is a rare occurrence due to the extreme time/travel commitments and specialized demands of a single sport at that level. How rare? According to one estimate less than 1% of all Division 1 athletes participate in multiple sports and the number is even lower for those playing a high-profile sport like basketball. Let’s look at some University of Minnesota basketball players who are part of this select group. You will recognize some very familiar names, several who achieved legendary status in sports other than basketball.
Men
Dave Winfield – became part of the legendary “Iron Five” for the basketball team following several player suspensions resulting from the infamous Ohio State brawl in 1972. Went on to average 10.5 ppg and 6 rpg to help the Gophers win the Big Ten title that year. In baseball, Winfield was an AllAmerican as a pitcher and earned MVP honors at the 1973 College World Series after leading Minnesota to a runner-up finish. He is the only athlete to ever be drafted by the ABA, NBA, NFL and MLB. Winfield chose baseball and the rest is history. He enjoyed a 22-year Hall of Fame career, highlighted by a World Series Championship as a member of the Toronto Bluejays and registering his 3,000th career hit in the Metrodome as a member of the hometown Twins.
Bud Grant – earned 9 letters as a standout in football, basketball, and baseball for the Gophers. Two-time All-Big Ten performer as an end (that’s a wide receiver for our younger readers), team MVP as a basketball player and played centerfield and pitched for the baseball team. He edged out Bronko Nagurski and Bruce Smith in voting for the University’s top athlete for the first half of the 20th century. After college, Grant played 2 years for the Minneapolis Lakers and won an NBA title in 1950. He then switched to football, joining the Philadelphia Eagles who had selected him in the first round of the NFL draft while he was still in college. He played defense as a rookie and then finished 2nd in the league in receiving in his second season. Following his playing career, he embarked on one of the most successful coaching careers in professional football history. He won 4 Grey Cups in the Canadian Football League and coached the Minnesota Vikings to 4 Super Bowl appearances. He is the 1st coach to be inducted into both the CFL and NFL Hall of Fames.
Tony Dungy – played just one year of basketball at Minnesota as a reserve guard on the 1973-74 team. He was the star quarterback on the Gopher football team, however, and left as the U’s all-time leader in completions, passing yards and TDs. Was a two-time team MVP and twice earned Academic All-Big Ten honors. Dungy had a brief playing career in the NFL as a defensive back, highlighted by winning a Super Bowl Ring with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He then launched a Hall of Fame coaching career and became the first African American head coach to win a Super Bowl, leading the Indianapolis Colts to victory in Super Bowl XLI.
Archie Clark – along with Lou Hudson and Don Yates became the first black men to be ogered scholarships to play basketball at the University of Minnesota. Clark earned multiple All-Big Ten honors on the hardwood and in the “og-season” he played for the Gopher baseball team and was the center fielder on the 1964 national championship team. He went on to have a 10-year career in the NBA, including 2 All-Star game appearances.
Bernie Bierman – a three-sport athlete, who earned 9 letters competing in basketball, football, and track & field. Football was his primary sport, and he earned All-American honors as a halfback (a running back in today’s football lexicon) on the undefeated 1915 Big Ten title team. Bierman, of course, reached legendary status as a football coach. He returned to coach his alma mater and in his first 10 seasons, led the Gophers to 7 Big Ten titles and 5 national championships – without question the “Golden Era” of Minnesota football. Would certainly be fun to see P.J. Fleck “Row the Boat” to that type of success.
Duane Baglien – won five letters for the Gophers, two in basketball (1943-44) and three in baseball (1948-1950). He was a starting guard on the basketball team and played second base and centerfield in baseball, serving as captain of the 1950 team. The reason for the gap between his basketball and baseball careers was a three-year tour of duty in the Navy. Baglien went on to become a Hall of Fame high school coach in Minnesota, leading the Edina Hornets to three straight boys’ basketball state championships (1966-69), including a record 69-game winning streak. Also led the Hornets to the 1968 state title in baseball.
Barry Wohler – the former Bird Island-Lake Lillian star originally committed to play for Joe Salem and the Gopher football team but sugered a hand injury that forced him to switch to basketball and baseball. He was a reserve guard on the 1982 basketball team that won the Big Ten title and a pitcher for the baseball team that won the Big Ten Tournament title in 1982 and the regular season title in 1983. Wohler had a brief minor league baseball career after being selected by the Dodgers in the 14th round of the 1983 draft. He is currently the highly successful basketball coach at Orono High School.
Matt Anderle – a 6’6 270-pound ofensive lineman who joined the basketball team in the middle of the 2000-01 season to add much-needed depth in the front court. The former Mounds View football and basketball star went on to be drafted in the 6th round of the 2002 NFL draft by the San Diego Chargers.
Wally Ellenson – arrived in Minneapolis as a highly-touted shooting guard prospect from Rice Lake, Wisconsin. Never really found his groove as a basketball player and appeared in just 18 games in 2 years before transferring to Marquette. He did excel as a Gopher track & field athlete though. He placed 8th in the High Jump in the NCAA Outdoor Championships as a freshman and finished 2nd as a sophomore. In addition, he won Gold for the U.S. in the 2013 Pan Am Junior Games held in Columbia.
Honorable Mention – Other men’s basketball players who excelled as multi-sport athletes in the early 1900’s include Arnie Oss, Ted Cox, Butch Nash, Malvin Nydahl, and Robert Tanner. Also worth mentioning Jack Wilson who played one year of basketball (2023-24) with the Gophers after transferring from Washington State where he played both basketball and football.
Women
Denise Erstad-Falls – a 3-sport star in the mid to late 1970’s who is the only Gopher athlete, male or female, to compete in 4 digerent national championships in 3 digerent sports: Volleyball – 1974, Softball – 1976 & 1978, and Basketball – 1977. Named to the University of Minnesota’s Women’s Athletics All-Decade Team for the 1970’s and is a member of the Golden Spikes Volleyball Hall of Fame.
Liz Podominick – physical post player who was a key contributor during her three seasons on the basketball team and helped the Gophers advance to the 2004 Final Four. In track & field she won multiple Big Ten titles in the shot put and discus, was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year for the 2005 outdoor season, and was a member of the Gophers’ 2007 Big Ten Championship team. In 2016, she was named a U.S. Olympic Team Alternate. Basketball has always been a passion and in 2022 Podominick was named Assistant Director for USA Basketball Women’s National Team.
Kelly Roysland – – a 4-year letter winner in basketball who was named team MVP and earned All-Big Ten honors as a senior. Finished in the top 20 in career scoring with more than 1,000 points and was a key reserve as a freshman on the 2004 Final Four team. As a former Miss Volleyball in Minnesota during her high school days in Fosston, Roysland decided to play one year of college volleyball for the Gophers as a 5th year senior. She finished 5th on the team in “digs” in her one season.
Jackie Voigt – a 4-year starter on the basketball team who scored more than 750 points and secured more than 600 rebounds during her career. She earned Academic All-Big Ten honors and was awarded Minnesota’s Big Ten Sportsmanship Award in 2012. An All-State goalie in soccer at Park High School, Voigt was asked to join the Gophers’ soccer team after the starting goalkeeper suffered an injury. She was on the pitch just days after the basketball season ended.
Katie Loberg – a 6’4 center who played in 115 games in her Gopher basketball career and led the team in blocked shots for 3 straight seasons. In track and field, she won numerous events as a high jumper and tied for 3rd place in the 2013 Big Ten Women’s Outdoor Championships.
While the numbers clearly show that there are very few multi-sport athletes at the Division 1 level, what are the odds of having multiple multi-sport athletes on the same college basketball team? Incredibly low for sure but we know it isn’t zero. Amazingly, the Gopher women’s basketball program has seen this phenomena twice – Kelly Roysland and Liz Podominick were teammates as were Jackie Voigt and Katie Loberg.
About the Author
As Hoop Habits’ media contributor, Roger Johnson brings decades of basketball expertise to his articles. Having served as a marketing executive at Wells Fargo & Company and a content writer for Ultimate Hoops, Roger’s true passion has always been basketball. With experience as a collegiate player at Moorhead State University, coach, and parent of successful players, Roger offers unique insights into the game. His dedication shows through his Minnesota Timberwolves season tickets, University of Minnesota basketball support, and attendance at over 3,000 basketball games throughout his lifetime.