Dan Kahler

Dr. Dan Kahler, the “Silver Fox,” was one of the most successful men’s basketball coaches ever at Arkansas City Junior College. In his seven seasons (1952-59), Kahler led ACJC to six Jayhawk Conference Western Division titles and qualified for the national tournament four times, finishing as high as second following the 1952-53 season. His overall record of 170-49 (.776) is the best of any Cowley men’s basketball coach. Kahler was a standout athlete at Southwestern College, where he earned 15 letters. He was inducted into SWC’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993. He has been very active in the education of youth in the greater Kansas City area. He was named Greater Kansas City Teacher of the Year in 1988, and he was the first recipient of the Maxey Dupree Award, better known as the “Kindest Kansas Citian,” in 1991. He served as principal of Arkansas City High School in 1959, moved to Lawrence in 1963, and served as analyst and interviewer for the University of Kansas Sports Network for more than a decade. In 2002, Kahler was honored by having the surface of W.S. Scott Auditorium named Dan Kahler Court.