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University of Minnesota Athletics
Former Golden Gopher Football Coach Jim Wacker Passes Away
8/26/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
"We lost a true Golden Gopher today," Director of Athletics Joel Maturi said. "There aren't too many people who approached life with the same vitality and enthusiasm as Coach Wacker. Jim had a great energy about him and he always made you feel important. He had a great passion for life, the sport, the kids he coached and for the University as a whole."
"It is a sad day for the University of Minnesota, the state of Minnesota and college athletics with the passing of Coach Jim Wacker," Head Coach Glen Mason said. "Coach Wacker represented all the good in athletics - honesty, integrity, and a deep caring for the student-athletes. Our prayers and thoughts are with his family whom he loved so much."
"Jim was a great human being and a great guy to work for," assistant football coach Gordon Shaw said. "He loved Minnesota and poured his heart and soul into the University. He will be deeply missed."
Before his time at Minnesota, Wacker coached at Texas Christian University from 1983-91 where he earned National Coach of the Year honors from three news organizations in 1984. He also coached at Texas Lutheran (1971-75), North Dakota State (1976-78) and Southwest Texas (1979-82).
Wacker, a Detroit native and son of a Lutheran minister, led Southwest Texas to NCAA Division II national championships in 1981-82. Wacker also did television and radio work after he retired as Minnesota coach in 1996. He served as athletic director at Southwest Texas from 1998-2001.
Wacker is survived by his wife, Lil, three sons and six grandchildren.
Visitation was scheduled for 6 p.m., Thursday at Pennington Funeral Home in San Marcos with funeral services to be held 11 a.m., Friday at Evans Auditorium at Southwest Texas State. Graveside services were scheduled for 3:30 p.m., Friday at San Marcos City Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Bobcat Athletic Foundation/Geography Endowment; Texas Lutheran University football; Texas Christian University football; the American Cancer Society; Lutheran Social Services; or the Hope Hospice of New Braunfels.
