Bass, Dave
Dave Bass has been selected by the Valley City State University Alumni Board of Directors to become the 64th recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award.
Dave has dedicated his life and career to Valley City State University as an alumnus, educator, coach, mentor, and advocate for student success. A 1977 VCSU graduate with a degree in Physical Education and a minor in English Education, Bass earned his Master of Education from the University of North Dakota in 1981 before returning to VCSU that same year to begin a remarkable career spanning 45 years.
Throughout his tenure, Bass has served as a professor in the School of Education, head track and field coach, head cross country coach, assistant football coach, and Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR). As a coach from 1981 to 1991, he built a tradition of excellence, earning four NAIA District 12 Cross Country Coach of the Year honors and two NAIA District 12 Track & Field Coach of the Year awards.
Perhaps most notably, Bass has served for more than two decades as VCSU's Faculty Athletics Representative, promoting academic integrity, student-athlete success, and compliance. Recognized as a national leader in athletics eligibility and governance, he has served on the NAIA Council of Faculty Athletics Representatives and the NAIA Learning Disability Advisory Committee, while also chairing eligibility committees for multiple conferences.
His numerous honors include the 2017 NAIA Wally Schwartz Faculty Athletics Representative of the Year Award, the highest recognition for an NAIA FAR, the VCSU Alumni Service Award (2012), induction into the VCSU Athletic Hall of Fame (2017), and induction into the inaugural VCSU Osmon Icon Coaches Hall of Fame (2022). He has also been named Conference FAR of the Year six times, an unprecedented achievement.
Beyond the classroom and athletic fields, Bass has served on the VCSU Booster Board, Alumni Association Board, and Foundation Board, and played a key leadership role in restoring track and cross-country programs at VCSU.
Dave Bass's legacy is one of exceptional leadership, service, and unwavering commitment to Valley City State University. His impact on generations of students and student-athletes reflects the very best of the Viking spirit and the enduring values of academic and athletic excellence.
