Hall of Fame
In the three years that Al Pursell was in the basketball line-up, Coe won or shared the Midwest Conference title every year. The scoring records he set in that brilliant three-year span still stand. No one has topped his Coe career scoring record of 1690 points. Al Pursell's scoring records come in every category possible. He topped Midwest Conference scorers in '56, '57, and '58. He holds the Coe individual game high of 42 points and the season high of 587. That kind of scoring ability attracted honors, of course. His own teammates named him Most Valuable Player as a sophomore and he made the all-conference team every year he played. He won Little All-American mention from both Associated Press and United Press. In his senior year he led the Kohawks to their first NAIA National Tournament, and he made the NAIA All-American team. Like so many great athletes, Al Pursell won his share of honors outside of sports, too. He was elected Senior Class President and named Outstanding Senior Man at Coe. After graduation he coached at Springville and Denison, Iowa, and he is now elementary physical education coordinator in Waseca, Minnesota. As the number one cheerleader for the basketball team in his senior year, it brings back pleasurable memories to present Albert E. Pursell for induction as a Charter Member of the Coe College Athletic Hall of Fame. October 26, 1973
