Wyandot Sports Hall of Fame

A 1968 graduate of Upper Sandusky High School, Rod Dean went on to be one of the greatest Canadian collegiate basketball players of all-time at Wilfrid Laurier University (previously known as Waterloo Lutheran).

A 6-foot-3 1/2 inch guard, Dean was an All-Northern Ohio League first team selection for the Rams in his senior 1967-68 season when he averaged 16.3 points per game. He spent the 1968-69 season playing on the Ohio State University freshman team and then was on the Buckeyes junior varsity roster in 1969-70 before he transferred to Wilfried Laurier.

Dean had success right away with the Golden Hawks as the team’s rookie of the year, an all-league and All-Canadian first team selection while leading Wilfrid Laurier to the Canadian national championship. He was named to the all-tournament first team and averaged 19.9 points per game.

Despite a broken bone in his foot causing him to miss the preseason in his second year in Canada, Dean went on to again become an all-league first team and All-Canadian selection with a 15.3 points per game average. In 1972-73, Dean again earned the same honors and was selected the MVP of his team, ranking second in the Ontario University Athletic League in scoring while shooting 52% from the field and 75% from the foul line. He averaged 22.7 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.

Finally, as a senior, Dean averaged 20 points per game and was for a fourth consecutive year named to the all-conference first team and another All-Canadian team pick, an unprecedented feat in Canadian basketball history. He was named MVP of his team for a second straight season. He set many school records, including points in a game with 45. He averaged 19.2 points per game in his career.