George F. Veenker - University of Michigan

University of Michigan

In June 1926, Veenker was hired by the University of Michigan as an assistant football coach on Fielding H. Yost's coaching staff. Veenker was an assistant football coach at Michigan from 1926 and also served as the Wolverines' head basketball coach from 1928 to 1931. He was also an assistant track coach in his first year at Michigan.

In football, Veenker had responsibility for coaching the ends, including College Football Hall of Fame end, Bennie Oosterbaan. Veenker served under three head coaches at Michigan, Yost, Elton Wieman and Harry Kipke; all three have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Veenker took over as head basketball coach following the death of E. J. Mather. During his three years as Michigan's basketball coach, he compiled the highest winning percentage (.701) of any basketball coach in Michigan history. In his first year, the Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team compiled a 13–3 overall (10–2, Big Ten) record to win the Big Ten conference championship. His teams finished in 3rd and 2nd (tied) place in the following two years. Veenker is the only coach in Michigan history to win a conference championship in his first season.

While coaching at Michigan, Veenker published a book on basketball, "Basketball for Coaches and Players," that reportedly became the best selling book on the subject of basketball.

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