Claremont native and long-time Platte and Platte-Geddes coach Frank Cutler will be one of 21 sports legends inducted into the South Dakota Sports Hall of Fame on Sept. 13 at the Sioux Falls Convention Center.
The 2026 class includes one of the most successful basketball players in state history, a baseball major leaguer who pitched to Babe Ruth and Joe DiMaggio, a Guinness Book of World Record holder, as well as legendary coaches and announcers. Tickets will go on sale later this year.
Joining Cutler as new inductees are: Taylor Baker, Mike Begeman, Howard Blumart (deceased), Julie (Krauth) Dearing, Laticia DeCory, Jim Dorman, Dan Freidel, Barry French (deceased), Jeff Fylling (deceased), Randi (Morgan) Haines, Mylo Jackson (deceased), Greg Jimmerson, Louis Koupal (deceased), Tim Miles, Mike Miller, Kent Mueller, John Papendick, Thelma (Austin) Smalley (deceased), Jim Sorensen, and Jason Sutherland.
Cutler is a 1978 Langford High School graduate and graduated from South Dakota State University in 1983 where he was a baseball letterwinner for four years, named All-North Central Conference his senior season, and has one of the best all-time season batting averages (.443) in school and conference history.
A multi-sport standout at Langford, Cutler was a two-time all-state football player, leading the Lions to the mythical nine-man state championship in 1976. He was also an all-state basketball player and a placewinner at the 1978 state track meet in the long (second) and triple jumps (third).
Cutler took over the Platte boys’ basketball program in 1989-90 after six years as an assistant at Watertown. He retired at the end of the 2025 season with a career record of 546-264 in 36 seasons with 13 state tournament appearances. He guided the Panthers to one Class A state title in 2008 and runner-up finishes in 2009 and 2014.
At Platte-Geddes Cutler also coached junior high football for 34 years, boys and girls golf for 13 seasons, and served as athletic director for 12 years. His boys’ golf teams were Class B state runner-up four times and he has been named the SD Coach of the Year numerous times in various sports. He also has served as a girls basketball official.
Cutler had a Hall of Fame amateur baseball career in South Dakota, playing 35 seasons for Claremont, Watertown, Platte, and Parkston and qualifying for the state tourney 32 times. He was a career .400 hitter who played every position and also managed Claremont’s two state championship teams in 1984 and 1985.
The Hall of Famer also played on several South Dakota senior baseball teams and helped the South Dakota Silver Bullets win a Senior World Series title in 1993. He also coaches the 1983 Groton Teeners to a state Class B championship and the 2007 Platte Teeners to a Class A state crown.
Cutler will be joining some pretty impressive company in the Class of 2026. Mike Miller, a Mitchell standout, was the No. 1 draft choice of the Orlando Magic and played 17 seasons in the NBA. Tim Miles, a highly respected basketball coach, is the only active coach to lead teams to postseason play at the NAIA, NCAA Division II, and NCAA Division I levels.
Jeff Fylling was the voice of the Augustana Vikings football and basketball teams for nearly 50 years. He called more than 400 football games and was on the call for iconic basketball moments such as men’s national championship win in 2016 and for the 2013 Women’s Final Four women’s basketball team.
Kent Mueller helped build the boys’ basketball and football dynasty at West Central. His teams won 14 of the 17 state championships they appeared in. He is one of only four coaches in state history to win state football and basketball titles as a head coach, and the only one to win multiple state titles in both sports.
Jim Sorenson is one of the most successful prep coaches in SD history. The long-time Beresford high school coach led his boys’ basketball teams to 27 winning seasons, three state runner-up finishes, five regional titles, 11 district titles and eight conference titles. He also was a very successful golf coach and was a four-time SD golf coach of the year.
Laticia “Doni” DeCory is one of the best all-around athletes to come out of the talent-rich Pine Ridge Reservation. She was a starter as a true freshman for the BYU basketball team, but transferred to Utah State where she became part of three conference winning track teams. At the 1994 conference outdoor championships, DeCory won the shot put for Utah State.
Lou Koupal played 19 seasons of professional baseball, with seven in the big leagues. A pitcher, he got his pro baseball break when he was on the mound in an exhibition game on Oct. 18, 1922, vs. Hall of Famer Babe Ruth of the N.Y. Yankees. Koupal homered off Ruth in the contest but did not give up a home run to Ruth. Koupal also struck out Hall of Famer “Joltin’ Joe” DiMaggio three times in a game.
With the 21 new inductees, the hall will have enshrined 418 women and men from every part of the state representing more than 30 sports. The South Dakota Sports Hall of Fame was established in 1968 by the South Dakota Sportswriters Association. Inductees are voted into the hall in four categories: as athletes, coaches, contributors (such as media, administrators and/or officials) and/or legends (deceased).
