Former UW-Oshkosh Coach & Administrator Passes Away

Former UW-Oshkosh coach and director of athletics Dr. Eric Kitzman passed away Sunday (Oct. 20) in Oshkosh at the age of 92.

Kitzman joined the UW-Oshkosh community in 1955 as the head coach in basketball and baseball and assistant coach in football. He also taught classes in the school’s Health & Physical Education Department.

From 1956-61, Kitzman guided the UW-Oshkosh men’s basketball team to a 45-40 record. His 1960 squad compiled a 15-8 record and qualified for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics National Tournament in Kansas City, Mo. That team, led by All-American Ron Dibelius, became the first squad to represent UW-Oshkosh in national competition.

Kitzman started the UW-Oshkosh baseball program in 1956 and held the head coaching position until turning it over to Russ Tiedemann in 1968. The Titans compiled a 106-71 record under Kitzman and captured the 1963 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) title.

Kitzman also served as head coach of the UW-Oshkosh’s men’s golf team from 1966-88. The Titans won five WIAC titles and qualified for national postseason competition seven times.

Following the retirement of Robert Kolf in 1966, Kitzman was named UW-Oshkosh’s director of athletics. Before leaving the position in 1974, Kitzman led the university through an athletic facilities expansion project that saw the construction of Kolf Sports Center and original Titan Stadium Sports Complex. Under his guidance, the UW-Oshkosh athletics program won five WIAC All-Sports Awards. Kitzman was also instrumental in starting the UW-Oshkosh Athletics Hall of Fame, an elite group of men and women that now totals 174 members.

“Eric gave long and excellent service to UW-Oshkosh and the entire Oshkosh community,” said UW-Oshkosh Director of Athletics Darryl Sims. “The success and integrity of our athletics program stands as a tribute to Eric’s contributions over the years. On behalf of the entire UW-Oshkosh Athletics Department, I extend our heartfelt condolences as we celebrate Eric’s legacy.”

Kitzman, who retired from UW-Oshkosh in 1988, was born September 25, 1921 in Turtle Lake to the late Rev. Gottlieb and Hannah Kitzman. He was married to his departed wife, Lois, for 66 years.

Kitzman attended Concordia High School in River Forest, Ill., and signed a professional baseball contract with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1939. He played two years of minor league baseball in the Texas League before it ceased operation due to World War II.

In 1941, Kitzman enrolled at the University of Wisconsin and played baseball and football at a time when the Big Ten Conference allowed professionals to compete because of the war. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1945 with a bachelor’s degree in physical education. Kitzman received his master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1954 and doctorate from the University of Iowa in 1962.

Following his graduation from the University of Wisconsin in 1945, Kitzman accepted a teaching and coaching position at Menasha High School. He served as director of athletics and head coach of the baseball and boys’ basketball teams for the next 10 years. He led the Blue Jays to the state baseball championship in 1951 and the state basketball title in 1953. Kitzman’s teams compiled records of 106-22 in baseball and 176-34 in basketball.

Visitation will be Monday (Oct. 28) from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church, (338 N. Eagle Street • Oshkosh). The funeral service will be held at the church, beginning at 1 p.m.