FULTON, Mo.- Our final inductee into the 2013 William Woods Hall of Fame is former Owl athletic director and coach Roger Ternes, who was with the school for 20 years.
Ternes was born in Southwest North Dakota, he grew up on a farm/ranch and a graduate with a bachelor science from Dickinson State University-ND in 1977. Roger then continued his schooling, graduating with a master's degree from Chadron State College-NE in 1978.
During his junior year at Dickinson State University, Ternes served as a student assistant with the women's basketball program. His big break came during his senior year at DSU, where shockingly the head women's basketball coach resigned. “The Athletic Director asked me to take over as head coach, and that was the first coaching opportunity that fell into my lap,” said Ternes.
After his graduate school had been completed, he became the head women's basketball coach at Tarkio College-Mo from 1978-79, and then Ternes decided one year was enough at Tarkio College and joined William Woods in the fall of 1979. When he arrived at William Woods, Roger was initially hired to coach women's basketball, be the assistant softball coach and teach. “A few months in, Dr. Cutlip asked me to serve as the Athletic Director, while also coaching two sports and teaching in the P.E. Department, so I ended up wearing a few hats in my tenure to say the least,” said. Ternes.
During his tenure being a softball coach, he guided the program to six NAIA National Tournament appearances, and he is the all-time winningest softball coach in school history with 594 victories and just 237 losses. In the 1996 season, the Owls set a school record with 63 victories and eclipsed the 40-win mark five times.
The success continued when Ternes was the women's basketball coach for 13 seasons, as he is also the all-time winningest women's basketball coach in school history. He ended his career with a record of 249-115 and took the 1991-92 team to the NAIA National Tournament for the first time in school history, with a record of 27-5. The team won 20 or more games seven times during his 13 seasons as the head coach.
Roger Ternes feels his time at William Woods was nothing but positive. “My experiences at William Woods and in the Fulton community were very rewarding,” said Ternes. “Our two sons grew up in Fulton and it was our home for 20 years.” Being an athletic director and a coach in two different sports, might be overwhelming to some, but Ternes saw it as a chance to grow.
“When I first began my professional career, coaching was more enjoyable than administration, but as I gained experience, the opportunity to grow the department became a larger part of my work load and became very enjoyable,” said Ternes. “Every AD should have to be a head coach at some time in their career, as the internal pressures are different for a coach, compared to sitting behind a desk or having dinner with donors. Being credible with your coaching colleagues is imperative in my mind,” said Ternes.
During his tenure as an AD, the school added several women's sports, built a soccer field, added a weight facility, added men's sports and built a softball and baseball facility and to broaden the academic department, they also added a sports medicine program.
Roger Ternes has obvious great memories and success, but he feels that the student athletes will always stick out. “My fondest memories always come back to working with the student-athletes who competed in athletics,” said Ternes. “I had the pleasure of working with hundreds of young adults and practices were always the best part of my day.”
Getting into the William Woods Hall of Fame is a true honor to him as well. “I was shocked and reflective when I found out I would be getting inducted, but I truly had no idea about the coaching records at William Woods,” said Ternes. “I thought about all of the players who helped build the basketball and softball traditions at WWU and I have nothing but wonderful memories working at William Woods.”
