Jeff Fosnes
Encyclopedia
Jeff Fosnes is a former basketball
player from Wheat Ridge High School
and Vanderbilt University
. Jeff was raised in Lakewood, Colorado
, the son of Carl and Jay Fosnes.
High School All-American in 1972 alongside Robert Parrish
and Quinn Buckner
.
's famed 'F-Troop', a nickname coined by Nashville Banner
sports editor Dudley 'Waxo' Green." In 1974, Vanderbilt would win the SEC Championship. Fosnes was an integral part of this team that included Jan van Breda Kolff, Butch Feher, and Joe Ford. Fosnes was selected to the NCAA All-Tournament Team in 1974, as the Commodores fell to Marquette
and Notre Dame
. During the same year, Fosnes became Vanderbilt's first Academic All-American, an accolade he would receive again the following year. No other Vanderbilt basketball player would attain the honor until Bruce Elder
in 1993.
Fosnes was honored as a First Team All-SEC selection by the coaches in 1975 and 1976.
The 1975 Trojan Classic at USC
selected Fosnes as the tournament MVP.
His career at Vanderbilt finished with a 15.5 PPG and .521 FG%.
Fosnes played in the 1976 East/West All-Star game in Tulsa, OK. Fosnes was coached in the game by Dean Smith and played with Quinn Buckner
, Scott May
, Mitch Kupchak
, and Leon Douglas
.
In 1976, Fosnes was drafted by the Golden State Warriors
in the 4th round, but chose to forgo the NBA in favor of medical school.
with 1,579 points. He is currently 9th on Vanderbilt's scoring list.
His 1974-75 scoring average of 22.1 PPG ranks tied-4th for the highest single season scoring average in Vanderbilt history.
Fosnes scored 39 points vs. Jacksonville University
which ties him for the sixth highest scoring single game in Vanderbilt history.
Fosnes currently ranks 3rd in career Made FGs with 651. His 1974-75 season of 238 Made FGs is the 4th highest total in Vanderbilt history.
. He was "one of eighty-three students selected from 6100 applicants". After finishing his residency at Bayfront Medical Center
with the University of South Florida
in 1983, Fosnes moved to Springfield, Tennessee
where he currently resides with his wife (Margot) and children (C.A. and Tyler).
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 from Wheat Ridge High School
Wheat Ridge High School
Wheat Ridge High School is a public secondary school operated by the Jefferson County School District R-1 in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, United States.-History:From the :...
and Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
. Jeff was raised in Lakewood, Colorado
Lakewood, Colorado
Lakewood is a Home Rule Municipality that is the most populous city in Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. Lakewood is the fifth most populous city in the State of Colorado and the 172nd most populous city in the United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that in April 1, 2010...
, the son of Carl and Jay Fosnes.
High school
At Wheat Ridge High School from 1969–1972, Fosnes was "regarded by many as the best basketball player in state annals. Garnering three years all state, he led the Farmers to two seconds and a third in the state tournament. Averaging over twenty points per game for his prep career, he scored thirty-five points in the first three quarters of the 1971 state title game vs. Mitchell." Fosnes was named a SunkistSunkist (soft drink)
Sunkist is a brand of primarily orange flavored soft drinks launched in 1979.Sunkist was first licensed by Sunkist Growers to the General Cinema Corporation, the leading independent bottler of Pepsi-Cola products at the time...
High School All-American in 1972 alongside Robert Parrish
Robert Parrish
Robert R. Parrish was an American actor, film editor, film director, and writer. He received an Academy Award for Film Editing for the 1947 film, Body and Soul....
and Quinn Buckner
Quinn Buckner
William Quinn Buckner, commonly known as Quinn Buckner is a former American professional basketball player and coach. He played collegiately at Indiana University, and was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 7th pick of the 1976 NBA Draft...
.
College
Fosnes joined the Vanderbilt Commodores in 1972 as a part of a historic freshman class, "Roy SkinnerRoy Skinner
Roy Gene Skinner was an American basketball coach who was best known for his time as head coach of the Vanderbilt Commodores men's basketball where he holds the record for most wins as coach and helped break the racial barrier by recruiting the first African American athlete to play varsity ball...
's famed 'F-Troop', a nickname coined by Nashville Banner
Nashville Banner
The Nashville Banner is a defunct daily newspaper of Nashville, Tennessee, United States, which published from April 10, 1876 until February 20, 1998...
sports editor Dudley 'Waxo' Green." In 1974, Vanderbilt would win the SEC Championship. Fosnes was an integral part of this team that included Jan van Breda Kolff, Butch Feher, and Joe Ford. Fosnes was selected to the NCAA All-Tournament Team in 1974, as the Commodores fell to Marquette
Marquette University
Marquette University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1881, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...
and Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
. During the same year, Fosnes became Vanderbilt's first Academic All-American, an accolade he would receive again the following year. No other Vanderbilt basketball player would attain the honor until Bruce Elder
Bruce Elder
Bruce Elder is a journalist, writer and commentator. He is currently a full-time journalist with the Sydney Morning Herald specialising in travel and popular culture. His other areas of expertise include film, television, and popular music. He has written extensively around Australia and has a...
in 1993.
Fosnes was honored as a First Team All-SEC selection by the coaches in 1975 and 1976.
The 1975 Trojan Classic at USC
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
selected Fosnes as the tournament MVP.
His career at Vanderbilt finished with a 15.5 PPG and .521 FG%.
Fosnes played in the 1976 East/West All-Star game in Tulsa, OK. Fosnes was coached in the game by Dean Smith and played with Quinn Buckner
Quinn Buckner
William Quinn Buckner, commonly known as Quinn Buckner is a former American professional basketball player and coach. He played collegiately at Indiana University, and was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 7th pick of the 1976 NBA Draft...
, Scott May
Scott May
Scott Glenn May is a retired American professional basketball player.May was a power forward on the 1976 Indiana basketball team that went undefeated and won the NCAA championship under coach Bobby Knight. May was named NCAA men's basketball national player of the year in 1976...
, Mitch Kupchak
Mitch Kupchak
Mitchell "Mitch" Kupchak is a retired American basketball player and current general manager of the Los Angeles Lakers since the 2000–01 NBA season after predecessor Jerry West moved to the Memphis Grizzlies organization....
, and Leon Douglas
Leon Douglas
Leon Douglas is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA. A bulky 6–10 ft and 230 lbs center at the University of Alabama, he was a four-time All-Southeastern Conference selection, the first Alabama player to achieve this distinction since Jerry Harper earned it in...
.
In 1976, Fosnes was drafted by the Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
in the 4th round, but chose to forgo the NBA in favor of medical school.
Career, Single game, and Single season Records
Fosnes finished his career as the second all-time leading scorer behind Clyde LeeClyde Lee
Clyde Wayne Lee is an American former professional basketball player.A 6'10" forward/center, Lee starred at Vanderbilt University in the mid-1960s. Lee was known for his rebounding skills and inside scoring prowess. In his junior season , he led the Commodores to their first SEC championship...
with 1,579 points. He is currently 9th on Vanderbilt's scoring list.
His 1974-75 scoring average of 22.1 PPG ranks tied-4th for the highest single season scoring average in Vanderbilt history.
Fosnes scored 39 points vs. Jacksonville University
Jacksonville University
Jacksonville University is a private university in Jacksonville, Florida, on the banks of the St. Johns River. The school was founded in 1934 as a two year college and was known as Jacksonville Junior College until 1958, when it shifted its focus to four-year university degrees and adopted its...
which ties him for the sixth highest scoring single game in Vanderbilt history.
Fosnes currently ranks 3rd in career Made FGs with 651. His 1974-75 season of 238 Made FGs is the 4th highest total in Vanderbilt history.
Post College Career
Fosnes followed up his basketball career by pursuing a medical degree at the Vanderbilt University School of MedicineVanderbilt University School of Medicine
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine is a medical school located in Nashville, TN. Currently ranked 15th out of 126 accredited medical schools in the U.S News & World Report 2010 rankings, the school of medicine has a reputation as a center of research and high-quality clinical care. Vanderbilt...
. He was "one of eighty-three students selected from 6100 applicants". After finishing his residency at Bayfront Medical Center
Bayfront Medical Center
Bayfront Medical Center is a hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida. Bayfront Medical Center is Pinellas County's only trauma center and St. Petersburg's longest-standing hospital....
with the University of South Florida
University of South Florida
The University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, one of the state's three flagship universities for public research, and is located in Tampa, Florida, USA...
in 1983, Fosnes moved to Springfield, Tennessee
Springfield, Tennessee
Springfield is a city in Robertson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 14,329 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Robertson County.-Geography:Springfield is located at ....
where he currently resides with his wife (Margot) and children (C.A. and Tyler).