Ed Koffenberger Explained

Ed Koffenberger
Number:55, 43
Position:Center
Height Ft:6
Height In:2
Birth Date:4 July 1926
Birth Place:Wilmington, Delaware
Death Place:Hockessin, Delaware
Nationality:American
High School:P.S. duPont (Wilmington, Delaware)
College:Duke (1944–1947)
Draft Year:1947
Draft Round:
Draft Pick:48
Draft Team:Philadelphia Warriors
Highlights:

Edward Leroy Koffenberger (July 4, 1926 – September 21, 2014) was an American stand-out basketball and lacrosse player for the Duke University in 1945–46 and 1946–47. He is considered Duke's first "two-sport star"[1] even though most of his accolades came from playing basketball. A native of Wilmington, Delaware, Koffenberger was the only First Team All-American basketball player from his home state when the Helms Foundation awarded him the distinction.[2] As a center, Koffenberger led the Blue Devils in scoring during both seasons he played for them, and during his senior season of 1946–47, he led the Southern Conference in both scoring and rebounding.[2] He was a two-time All-American and two-time All-Conference selection in basketball, and in lacrosse he was a one-time All-American for his intimidating defensive presence.[1] In 54 career basketball games he scored 733 points, including a then-Duke record 416 in 1946–47.[2] [3]

Koffenberger was selected by the Philadelphia Warriors in a late round of the 1947 BAA draft, although he only briefly played professionally but never in the Basketball Association of America.[1] [4] After basketball he became an engineer, spending the majority of his career at DuPont.[2]

In 1977 he was inducted into the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame.[5]

Koffenberger died of leukemia on September 21, 2014, at the age of 88.[6] [7]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Duke Sports Information. Edward L. Koffenberger. GoDuke.com. Duke University. December 14, 2005. September 16, 2010.
  2. Book: Gelbert, Doug. The Great Delaware Sports Book. Manatee Books. 1995. Montchanin, Delaware. 115. 0-9644427-0-1.
  3. Web site: 55 Ed Koffenberger. Duke Blue Devils Basketball Statistical Database. Duke University Athletics Association. 2010. September 16, 2010.
  4. Web site: NBA Draft Picks From Duke University. basketball-reference.com. 2010. September 16, 2010.
  5. Web site: Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame in Wilmington, Delaware - 1977. www.desports.org.
  6. Web site: Ex-Duke all-America Ed Koffenberger dies. heraldsun.com. September 24, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140929224459/http://www.heraldsun.com/sports/x711471529/Ex-Duke-all-America-Ed-Koffenberger-dies. September 29, 2014. dead.
  7. Web site: Edward Koffenberger Obituary - Hockessin, Delaware.