Ripon College Athletics

Building championship athletic teams was Harold Olsen’s specialty from 1919-1922. Basketball was his major sport, but by 1922, he had coached seven teams in football, basketball and track – six of them state champions. During the three years of his athletic directorship, Ripon suffered just three collegiate defeats – two in basketball and one in football, all against longstanding rival Lawrence. Two undefeated track teams, prospects for a third and restoration of baseball as a collegiate sport at Ripon also were to his credit by 1922. That year’s “Crimson” summarized Harold Olsen’s Ripon years this way:  “Olsen’s strong personality and a thorough knowledge of his work, coupled with strong school spirit and cooperation between students and athletics at Ripon have been the chief reasons for his success.”