Legendary Aggie LaDell Andersen: A look back at his career
Photo courtesy of Utah State Athletics
Former Utah State Aggie coaching legend and athletic director LaDell Andersen passed away on Monday, Dec. 29 in Saint George at the age of 90. Andersen made great contributions to both collegiate and professional basketball throughout the state of Utah in his career. He lettered for the Aggies Basketball team as a walk-on from the years 1949 to 1952, after which he would serve as an assistant coach for the University of Utah, head coach for both Utah State and Brigham Young University, as well as for the short-lived Utah Stars of the American Basketball Association. He also served as Utah State’s athletic director and as a scout and consultant for the Utah Jazz. Of all the teams he contributed to, Andersen spent the most time with Utah State.
Four years after LaDell Andersen ended his playing career, he found another way to be involved with the sport he loved, coaching. In 1956, Andersen was hired as an assistant at the University of Utah under head coach Jack Gardner, and he would stay with the program until 1961. In his time at Utah, the team had a record of 109-33.
His work as an assistant impressed Utah State, and so, when the Aggies and former head coach Cecil Baker parted ways, it brought in Andersen as the new head coach for the 1961-62 season. The season prior to Andersen being hired, the Aggies had a losing record of 12-14; however, in his first season as head coach, Andersen turned the team around, and the Aggies posted a record of 22-7, going 12-2 in the Mountain States Athletic Conference. The team also made the postseason tournament for the first time since the 1938-39 season, where the Aggies reached the regional final. Utah State would see similar success throughout Andersen’s tenure; in his ten seasons with the Aggies, he had just one losing record and the team finished with an overall record of 173-96.
After the 1970-71 season, coach Andersen had caught the eye of professional basketball, and he was hired as the Utah Stars’ new head coach when the team moved to Utah. While the financial situation of the Stars was tenuous, Andersen was still able to put together two solid seasons. The team posted a record of 115-53 and won the Western Division in two consecutive seasons. Despite the success, Andersen did not return to the team after his second season and would return to Utah State as the school’s athletic director in 1973.
In his time as athletic director, Andersen pushed for the Aggies to enter into a new conference, the Pacific Coast Athletic Association; the move allowed the Aggies to face a higher level of competition and raised the profile of the school in the nation’s eyes. He also oversaw two national championships for the school in both volleyball and softball.
Andersen then felt drawn back to coaching and was hired by the Brigham Young University Cougars for the 1983-84 season. He would enjoy a great amount of success in his six seasons in Provo, winning a Western Athletic Conference championship.
He retired from coaching in 1989 and was hired by the Utah Jazz as both a consultant and scout.
LeDell Andersen’s storied career took him all over the state of Utah, and his hard work and dedication were rewarded in 2019 with a spot in the Utah Sports Hall of Fame. He will undoubtedly be remembered as a great coach and a great man.
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