Boyd Sussex to Be Inducted Into Coaches Hall of Fame

Boyd Sussex of Milbank and former head coach of the Bulldogs basketball team will be inducted into the Valley City State Alumni Coaches Hall of Fame on June 12. “ Inductees into the VCSU Coaches Hall of Fame receive the Osmon Icon Award, as recognition of their commitment to excellence in the field of coaching throughout their careers,” stated Cory Anderson, Director of University Advancement at VCSU.

Sussex served 19 years as head coach for Milbank. He guided the Bulldogs to six state tournaments and capped that achievement with the 2005 State A championship title. He also shepherded the Bulldogs to 11 district and six conference championships. At the time of his retirement from the position of head coach in 2006, Sussex held an overall record of 443-247, which placed him at number 10 for all-time victories in South Dakota boys basketball history. His record at Milbank stands at 275-136. He was tapped as the regional Coach of the Year three times.

During his career at Milbank, he was also chosen to lead the North All Stars in the South Dakota High School Athletic Association (SDHSAA) games in 1995. In 1997, he took the South Dakota team to the Down Under Classic in New Zealand. In 2006, he coached the South Dakota All Stars in their game against  Nebraska. Sussex also served as a regional director of the South Dakota  Basketball Coaches Association.

He spent his last nine years as the athletic director at MHS and was honored as the regional Athletic Director of the Year in 2015. He formally retired in 2017. In 2020, he was presented with a SDHSAA Distinguished Service Award. In 2023, he was inducted into the South Dakota Basketball Coaches Association (SDBCA) Hall of Shrine.

Sussex, originally from Hope, North Dakota, graduated from Valley City State University in 1975. He and his wife Kathy of 50 years live on Big Stone Lake. They have one son, Jackson (Val), and two grandchildren, Baker (9) and Lauren (7).