New gymnasium named after Minonk native

"Moose" Woltzen talks with Lakeland College basketball coach Gary Grzesk in 2004.

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Minonk native Duane "Moose" Woltzen and his wife Dona will have a gymnasium named after them at dedication ceremonies on June 18 at Lakeland College in Wisconsin.

$500,000 was raised by former athletes to help build an addition to the Wehr  Center  on the  college campus.  The new expansion will be called the "Moose and Dona Woltzen Gymnasium".

Woltzen was the basketball coach at Lakeland College in Wisconsin from 1964 until 1987 and became the first Wisconsin coach to earn 500 victories.  After his retirement from coaching, Moose continued to arrange basketball tours in Europe. 

Moose and his wife Dona were very popular at the college during his tenure.  According to a Lakeland College brochure, "Duane 'Moose' Woltzen transcends Lakeland College.  There are few Wisconsin basketball coaches who have accomplished what Moose did in his 23 seasons at Lakeland.  Along with his wife Dona, the Woltzens are among the most beloved figures in the college's history."

Moose graduated from Minonk-Dana High School in 1951 and was the top scorer on one of Minonk's best basketball team which went to the sectionals that year.  His mother Hazel resides in Minonk. 

Below is an architectural rendering of the new gymnasium.



Below is a picture of a young Moose Woltzen and his basketball team at Lakeland College.