Coaches 1947-1955

Skeet O'Connell was Oregon Tech's first basketball coach in 1947. He was head coach of this team until Art Kirkland took over in 1951. He was also briefly the coach of the varsity track team from 1950-1952 and additionally in 1952 he introduced boxing as a minor sport to the campus.

Dale Daugherty was the first football coach at Oregon Tech. He coached for only a year and then Rex Hunsaker took over as head football coach in 1950.

 

Rex Hunsaker became the football coach at Oregon Tech in 1950.  He continued to coach football until 1962 when Ron Pheister took over as head coach.
He also coached the golf team from 1960-1962.

 

Bob Smith coached the first wrestling team at Oregon Tech in the year 1953. He left in 1955 and with him gone the wrestling team did not meet again until 1959 under new Coach George Miller.

 

Wally Palmberg started at Oregon Tech in 1954 as a coach of both the basketball team and the first Oregon Tech track team. George Miller took over as head track coach the next year. However, Coach Palmberg reclaimed the position again in 1960 alongside the cross-country coaching position.

He coached basketball until 1961when he resigned from this position stating that he felt there was too much emphasis being placed on athletics and not enough being placed on developing the physical education program for students.

He was inducted into the State of Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1981. He is also written about in the Astoria High School Hall of Fame.

After his coaching career ended Wally Palmberg went on to earn his administration credentials. He became the Dean at Pendelton's Blue Mountain Community College, then later the President of Central Wyoming College. He also wrote a book called, Under One Flag, which is a history of Lower Columbia sports. He passed away on February 12, 2006 and is buried in Milwaukie, Oregon.

 

Don Sutphin coached the Junior Varsity Basketball team for one year, 1954-1955.

Jim McGown coached the Junior Varsity Basketball team for the school year of 1955-1956.

 

Corky Van Loo was the baseball coach starting in 1955. He coached the team for only a year, when Ralph Carr took over.

 

George Millers first year at Oregon Tech, 1955, he coached the track team. In 1957 he also began coaching the cross-country team. In 1960, Wally Palmberg, the former coach of both the track and cross-country teams, reclaimed the head coaching position for these teams.

In 1959 Coach Miller started coaching the wrestling team, which he coached until 1962.

In 1960, Wally Palmberg, the former coach of both the track and cross-country teams, reclaimed the head coaching position for these teams.

Adam Eckerish, alongside Pete Pederson, was an advisor for the Rodeo Club from the years 1955, when it first began, to 1958.

 

Pete Pederson, alongside Adam Eckerish, was an advisor for the Rodeo Club from the years 1955, when it first began, to 1958.