UW-River Falls athletic department icon Don Page died on Tuesday night at the River Falls Area Hospital. He was 83.
There is no one who has had more influence on Falcon athletics than Page who had a long and distinguished career as a teacher, coach and administrator at UWRF. He served the University in many capacities from his arrival in 1957 until his retirement in 1992. Page will be long remembered for his leadership, coaching and teaching skills and the lasting friendships he made through his years as a coach, educator, official and athletic administrator.
Page was hired at UWRF as the head basketball and baseball coach in 1957. He coached the Falcon basketball team from 1957-1966 and the baseball team from 1957-1974. He was an assistant football coach for the Falcons for 15 years. He led the 1964 and 1965 Falcon baseball teams to WIAC championships. In 1973 he took on the duties of coaching the men's tennis program, which he continued to do until 1980 and again from 1982-87.
In 1970, Page was named UWRF's athletic director and served in that position until his retirement in 1992. He was an outstanding leader for thousands of Falcon coaches and student-athletes during his career. He helped the Falcon athletic department grow in terms of sports offered, the number of student-athletes participating and facilities.
Page was a lone inductee to the UW-River Falls Athletic Hall of Fame in 1992.
Don Page became the "face" of UW-River Falls athletics,” said Falcon Head football Coach John O'Grady. “He also was a tremendous representative for our University in general. During his years the University grew and flourished. Athletic programs sprouted and UW-River Falls became widely known in the region. It is very difficult to find town or city in this state that doesn't know of Don Page.
“His long lasting devotion to this University and this town displayed itself in many ways. One of the most appreciated, for those of us in the athletic department, was the creation of his annual golf tournament. The proceeds from this have benefited all UW-River Falls athletes throughout the years. Don loved this town and this University. All you had to do was sit with him for just a few minutes and you would understand this. Don was not just our athletic director or our devoted supporter in all of the years since his retirement, the best thing many of us could say about Don was that he was a true friend. We will miss him terribly. But we also know that his memory will live on for generations to come,” said O'Grady.
He graduated from Madison West High School in 1945 where he lettered in football, basketball, tennis, track and volleyball. He was named to the All-Big Eight Conference teams after his junior and senior years in football and basketball. He won the conference singles championship both years in tennis. He helped lead West to back-to-back conference titles in football and basketball in 1944-45. He was the Big Eight scoring champion for basketball in both his junior and senior years as well as leading his team to the 1945 WIAA state championship.
Page went on to letter two years at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in both tennis and basketball. He was a regular on the 1949-50 team that finished with a 17-5 record and a second place finish in the Big Ten under Coach Bud Foster.
Page graduated from UW-Madison in 1950 and earned a master of science degree from UW-Madison in 1953. While working toward his masters degree, Page worked at Edgerton High School for three years as the athletic director, head basketball coach, head baseball coach and assistant football coach from 1950-53. He won two basketball and two baseball league championships.
Page was hired by his alma mater, Madison West, in 1953 where he spent the next four years. He was the head basketball coach and baseball coach. He led West to a second place finish in the 1957 state tournament in basketball and won city and Big Eight championships in tennis.
“The UW-River Falls athletic department lost their icon in Don Page,” said former Falcon men's basketball coach and athletic director Rick Bowen. “He was the face of our department and our leader. In 1985 Don convinced me that UWRF was a great opportunity for me as the basketball coach. Sandy and I came to River Falls and began a long and wonderful association with the city and the University we now call home. There are so many of us that owe Don so much. Words cannot express the void he will leave. I am very thankful that I had the opportunity to be part of Don's extended University family.”
After his retirement from UWRF, Page served as the supervisor of men's basketball and football officials for the WIAC for many years.
"The WIAC has lost an iconic figure,” said WIAC Commissioner Gary Karner. “I can think of no other individual who contributed more to the WIAC, for as long, or in so many different capacities, than Don Page. Don's service to the WIAC will never be forgotten and is unlikely ever to be surpassed."
Page was a long time and well-respected WIAA football official and worked contests in six decades. He refereed in the WIAA state football playoffs in 1978, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985, and the state finals in 1986. He received the first annual David McClain Award for his distinguished service from the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association in 1987 and was inducted into the WFCA's Hall of Fame in 2004. He refereed the Shrine All-Star football game in 1978.
Page taught many officiating classes at UWRF while handling WIAA football interpretation meetings for 42 years.
In 1976 Page was a representative for officiating when Texas A&I and Henderson State University toured Europe to introduce the American college football game to the continent. Games were played in Berlin, Nuremberg, Mannheim, Vienna and Paris.
Page also officiated basketball and in 1968 he became the only man in WIAA history to play, coach and officiate in the state tournament. He also officiated state basketball games in 1970, 1972, 1973 and 1974.
He was inducted into the NAIA District 14 Hall of Fame for his many years of service as secretary-treasurer and an executive committee member. Page was inducted into the Madison Sports Hall of Fame in 1988 and into the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame and the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2004.
Page and his wife Jo were married for 59 years and have three children, John, David and Susan, 12 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
A private service will be prior to the Celebration of Don's life held Sunday, Sept. 26, 2010 from 2:30-5:30 p.m., at the River Falls Golf Club. In lieu of flowers, memorials are requested to the Don and Jo Page Scholarship Fund through the UW-River Falls Foundation. Arrangements are with Bakken-Young Funeral & Cremation Services of River Falls.
