On Friday night, Aberdeen Central defeated Rapid City Central 56-40, improving the Golden Eagles girls’ squad to a 3-2 record on the season. The biggest news, however, came from the Aberdeen Central bench. Friday night's victory was win number 596 for Golden Eagles coach Dawn Seiler, making her the winningest high school girls’ basketball coach in South Dakota history.
A smile from Seiler. Perhaps a reluctant one. But a smile nonetheless. Wait for it. pic.twitter.com/xdq71RPxYI
— Jacque Niles (@J_NilesAAN) January 5, 2019
Seiler’s win total now sits at 596, putting her above coaching legend Rob Van Laecken (595), who spent 37-seasons coaching high school girls’ basketball at Parkston. Laecken was inducted into the National High School Coaches Hall of Fame this past June.
As for Seiler, she grew up in the Mt. Rushmore State, playing girls’ basketball for McLaughlin High School.
After graduating from college at the University of Mary in Bismark, North Dakota, Seiler returned to South Dakota, where she spent 15-seasons coaching the McIntosh Tigers. She then made the move to Aberdeen Central – a place she has called home for the past 21-years.
While Seiler has plenty of career highlights, two of the biggest came in 2016 and 2018, when she led the Aberdeen Central to state basketball championships. For a coach who went 32 seasons without achieving the top prize, Seiler has now won two of them in the past three years.
