Peter Kasson '59 was a three-sport star for Ripon College who was among the Midwest Conference's best in all three sports during his playing days. One of just four two-time football All-Americans in school history, Kasson was also a four-time conference champion in track & field, while earning All-Conference honors on the basketball court. Kasson was inducted into Ripon's Athletics Hall of Fame in 1981, as part of the second induction class in school history.

Kasson earned several awards and accolades in all of the sports he competed, but it was on the football field where he received National recognition. As a junior, Kasson was named First Team Little All-American as an end on offense, leading the Redmen to an undefeated 8-0 record and an MWC Championship in 1957. He caught 12 passes for 240 yards and four touchdowns that season, while leading the team in punting with an average of 38.9 yards per punt.

"After all these years, being a part of Ripon's 1957 undefeated conference championship team is still one of my fondest memories," said Kasson.

He followed that season up with a senior year which saw him earn Second Team Little All-American honors as Ripon finished with a 6-2 record. In his three years of competition, Kasson helped the Redmen football team to a combined record of 18-5-1.

Kasson was just as much of a champion in track & field as he was on the football field. During his final two years, Kasson became a four-time individual conference champion, winning back-to-back conference titles in both the pole vault and javelin. His junior year saw him win the pole vault with a mark of 12-03, which was four inches shy of the school record at the time, while winning the javelin with a throw of 192-10. He followed that up by winning both events during his senior season with marks of 12-0 and 186-11, respectively.

"I enjoyed everything about my Ripon College experience," Kasson said. "Being a student-athlete prepared me professionally to become a High School and College coach for 32 years."

To complete the trifecta, Kasson also excelled on the basketball court, where he was named First Team All-Conference during his senior season. After scoring 211 and 279 points as a sophomore and junior, respectively, Kasson tied the single season school record with 471 points during his final season, averaging 20.8 points per game. That total is still tied for 22nd in program history, 62 years after his graduation. A native of Clintonville, Wis., Kasson finished his three-year career with 961 points, which ranked third in program history at the time, nearly 200 shy of the school record, which was held by his college head coach, Kermit "Doc" Weiske '50.

"I was on Doc's first team he ever coached at Ripon, but he also influenced my life after graduation," Kasson recalled. "Off the basketball court, Doc helped me secure admission to UW-Madison's graduate school, among many other endeavors."

Kasson went on to serve as a professor of Physical Education at UW-Stevens Point for 30 years, retiring in 1995. He earned his M.S. in 1960 and PhD in 1974, both in physical education from UW-Madison. Kasson and his wife Joyce '61 live in Stevens Point, Wis. The couple has three children, Connie '85, Richard '91, and Thomas. 


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