Loren Edward Ellis (January 7, 1904 – December 19, 1984) was an American football and basketball coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the head basketball coach at Valparaiso University from 1941 to 1947 and at Stetson University during the 1950–51 season, compiling a career college basketball record of 101–71. His best squad was his 1944–45 team, they finished with a 21–3 record and a 10-game winning streak. They were inducted into the Valparaiso Hall of Fame in 2004.[1] His best player was Robert Dille, a consensus All-American following the 1943–44 season.

Loren Ellis
Ellis pictured in The Beacon 1943, Valparaiso yearboo
Biographical details
Born(1904-01-07)January 7, 1904
DiedDecember 19, 1984(1984-12-19) (aged 80)
Eustis, Florida, U.S.
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1941Valparaiso (assistant)
1942–1945Valparaiso
Basketball
1930–1941Michigan City HS
1941–1947Valparaiso
1950–1951Stetson
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1942–1949Valparaiso
Head coaching record
Overall10–5 (college football)
101–71 (college basketball)
132-95 (high school basketball)
21-41 (pro basketball)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Football
1 IIC (1945)

Ellis was also the football coach at Valparaiso from 1942 to 1945, though the school did not field a football team in 1943 or 1944. He tallied a total record of 10–5, his 1945 squad won the Indiana Intercollegiate Conference championship, with an overall record of 6–1. He remains to this day, the winningest coach (by percentage) in Valparaiso history.[2]

Ellis served as the university's athletic director; he resigned following the 1947 season in order to accept the position of head coach and general manager of the Hammond Buccaneers of the National Basketball League (NBL). When that franchise folded in 1949, he accepted the position of head coach basketball at Stetson University.

Ellis was graduate of Indiana State Teachers College—now known as Indiana State University. He was the head basketball coach at Michigan City High School in Michigan City, Indiana from 1930 to 1941; totaling a record of 132-95 (.592), with 3 Sectional titles, 2 Regional titles and 2 berths in the State Semi-Finals.[3] Ellis died on December 19, 1984, in Eustis, Florida, following an illness lasting six months.[4]

Head coaching record

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College football

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Valparaiso Crusaders (Indiana Intercollegiate Conference) (1942–1945)
1942 Valparaiso 4–4 3–2 6th
1943 No team—World War II
1944 No team—World War II
1945 Valparaiso 6–1 4–0 1st
Valparaiso: 10–5 7–2
Total: 10–5
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References

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  1. ^ "The World's Tallest Team". ""The World's Tallest Team" - 2003-04 Hall of Fame - Official Athletic Site of the Valparaiso University Crusaders". Valpoathletics.com. Retrieved June 26, 2014.
  2. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 7, 2014. Retrieved April 5, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ^ "Loren Ellis, Michigan City high School Coach, Named New VU MEntor". The Vidette-Messenger. Valparaiso, Indiana. August 14, 1941. p. 8. Retrieved June 5, 2019 – via Newspapers.com  .
  4. ^ "Ellis, 80, VU coach of 'World's Tallest Team'". The Vidette-Messenger. Valparaiso, Indiana. December 20, 1984. p. 2. Retrieved June 5, 2019 – via Newspapers.com  .
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