Wayne Rasmussen
Encyclopedia
Wayne Rasmussen was an American football
player who played defensive back
for the Detroit Lions
. After his football career, he spent many years as an executive for Citibank at their Sioux Falls, South Dakota location, and is now retired in the Sioux Falls area.
Rasmussen played football, basketball and baseball at South Dakota State University
. As point guard, he led South Dakota State to the NCAA Division II National Championship
in 1963 and was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. Also, as a football player in college, he played wide receiver
as well as defensive back.
He is an inductee of the South Dakota Sports Hall of Fame.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player who played defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
for the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
. After his football career, he spent many years as an executive for Citibank at their Sioux Falls, South Dakota location, and is now retired in the Sioux Falls area.
Rasmussen played football, basketball and baseball at South Dakota State University
South Dakota State University
South Dakota State University is the largest university in the U.S. state of South Dakota, located in Brookings. A public land-grant university and sun grant college, founded under the provisions of the 1862 Morrill Act, SDSU offers programs of study required by, or harmonious to, this Act...
. As point guard, he led South Dakota State to the NCAA Division II National Championship
1963 NCAA Men's Division II Basketball Tournament
The 1963 NCAA Men's Division II Basketball Tournament involved 32 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division II college basketball as a culmination of the 1962-3 NCAA Division II men's basketball season...
in 1963 and was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. Also, as a football player in college, he played wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
as well as defensive back.
He is an inductee of the South Dakota Sports Hall of Fame.