Elmer Gross
Encyclopedia
Elmer Gross was an American
basketball
player and coach.
Dr. Gross was a Professor Emeritus of Physical Education at Penn State and earned his bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees from the University. He was a key figure as both a player and coach on Penn State's two basketball teams (1942 and 1954) to finish a season ranked in the nation's top 10 and was part of the Nittany Lions' first three NCAA Tournament
appearances.
for five seasons from 1950-54 posting an 80-40 record and a 66.7 winning percentage, tied for the best mark among Penn State coaches that served more than one season. He guided the Nittany Lions
to a pair of NCAA Tournament
appearances. The first, in 1952, made him the first coach in the NCAA Tournament to have also appeared as a player. He capped his coaching career by guiding All-American Jesse Arnelle
and the Nittany Lions to the 1954 Final Four
. Penn State posted an upset of eighth-ranked LSU
and ended Notre Dame's
18-game winning streak to advance to Kansas City where they eventually finished third after a loss to eventual champion LaSalle
. Penn State rebounded to defeat Southern California and claimed the No. 9 ranking in the final Associated Press poll.
Gross took the reins of the Penn State program from his mentor, John Lawther, whom he played for and served under as a graduate assistant coach for five seasons. Known for the masterful use of his bench and a full-court press which vexed opponents, Gross also implemented an opportunistic fast-break offense which saw the Nittany Lions top 1,000 points for a season for the first time in 1950.
team from 1940-42. He was a captain and leading scorer for the 1942 team that was Penn State's first to reach the NCAA Tournament and finished with an 18-3 record and No. 10 national ranking in the final Dunkel Index.
, participating in the Normandy landings at Omaha Beach
. He was wounded in 1944 and awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart
for his actions in battle at Saint-Lô
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player and coach.
Dr. Gross was a Professor Emeritus of Physical Education at Penn State and earned his bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees from the University. He was a key figure as both a player and coach on Penn State's two basketball teams (1942 and 1954) to finish a season ranked in the nation's top 10 and was part of the Nittany Lions' first three NCAA Tournament
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
appearances.
Coach
Gross coached Penn StatePenn State Nittany Lions men's basketball
The Penn State Nittany Lions basketball team is a NCAA Division I college basketball team representing the Pennsylvania State University. They are a member of the Big Ten Conference and play home games at the 15,261-seat Bryce Jordan Center, moving there from boisterous Rec Hall during the 1995–96...
for five seasons from 1950-54 posting an 80-40 record and a 66.7 winning percentage, tied for the best mark among Penn State coaches that served more than one season. He guided the Nittany Lions
Penn State Nittany Lions men's basketball
The Penn State Nittany Lions basketball team is a NCAA Division I college basketball team representing the Pennsylvania State University. They are a member of the Big Ten Conference and play home games at the 15,261-seat Bryce Jordan Center, moving there from boisterous Rec Hall during the 1995–96...
to a pair of NCAA Tournament
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
appearances. The first, in 1952, made him the first coach in the NCAA Tournament to have also appeared as a player. He capped his coaching career by guiding All-American Jesse Arnelle
Jesse Arnelle
Hugh Jesse Arnelle is a retired American basketball player and attorney.-Athletics:He played American football and basketball for Penn State University. He led the basketball team to the 1954 NCAA Final Four. He was named an All-American that season...
and the Nittany Lions to the 1954 Final Four
Final four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
. Penn State posted an upset of eighth-ranked LSU
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
and ended Notre Dame's
Notre Dame Fighting Irish men's basketball
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing the University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Indiana, United States. The program competes in the Big East Conference of NCAA Division I. The school holds two national championships in...
18-game winning streak to advance to Kansas City where they eventually finished third after a loss to eventual champion LaSalle
La Salle Explorers men's basketball
The La Salle Explorers Men's Basketball Team is the college basketball program representing La Salle University.-History:The program has been rated the 53rd "Greatest College Basketball Program of All-Time" by Street & Smith's magazine and 71st by the ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia.La Salle...
. Penn State rebounded to defeat Southern California and claimed the No. 9 ranking in the final Associated Press poll.
Gross took the reins of the Penn State program from his mentor, John Lawther, whom he played for and served under as a graduate assistant coach for five seasons. Known for the masterful use of his bench and a full-court press which vexed opponents, Gross also implemented an opportunistic fast-break offense which saw the Nittany Lions top 1,000 points for a season for the first time in 1950.
Player
Also a standout player, Gross lettered three seasons for the Nittany Lion basketballPenn State Nittany Lions men's basketball
The Penn State Nittany Lions basketball team is a NCAA Division I college basketball team representing the Pennsylvania State University. They are a member of the Big Ten Conference and play home games at the 15,261-seat Bryce Jordan Center, moving there from boisterous Rec Hall during the 1995–96...
team from 1940-42. He was a captain and leading scorer for the 1942 team that was Penn State's first to reach the NCAA Tournament and finished with an 18-3 record and No. 10 national ranking in the final Dunkel Index.
Professor
Upon his retirement from coaching in 1954, Gross earned his Doctorate of Education degree and continued to teach at Penn State until his retirement as a full professor in 1978.Military Service
Before beginning his coaching career, Gross was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army and served in France and Germany during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, participating in the Normandy landings at Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach is the code name for one of the five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during World War II...
. He was wounded in 1944 and awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
for his actions in battle at Saint-Lô
Saint-Lô
Saint-Lô is a commune in north-western France, the capital of the Manche department in Normandy.-History:Originally called Briovère , the town is built on and around ramparts. Originally it was a Gaul fortified settlement...
.