Devney Inducted to Coaches Hall of Fame

NSO News Release

2023 Hall of Fame Class

SIX NAMED FOR INDUCTION TO MBCA HALL OF FAME

The Minnesota Basketball Coaches Association has named six men who will be inducted into the MBCA Hall of Fame on October 28th. The purpose of the MBCA Hall of Fame is to give special recognition to the people of Minnesota who have made significant contributions to promote high school basketball in the state via their achievements and service.

The 2023 inductees are:

Mike Devney – Esko, Duluth Denfeld, Carlton
Mike McDonald – Cambridge-Isanti
Charles Portis– St. Paul Highland Park
Mike Sjoberg – St. Thomas Academy, Hastings
Mark Torgerson – Morris
Kurt Virgin – Eagan, Apple Valley, Claremont

The induction ceremonies will be held at the MBCA Hall of Fame Ceremony on Saturday, October 28, 2023, 2:00 p.m., at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Minneapolis.

Mike Devney began his coaching career at Carlton where he led the Bulldogs to the 1998 and 1999 Section titles with State tournament appearances resulting in a 1998 Class A runner-up finish and a 1999 Class A third place finish. In 1999, after five years coaching at Carlton, Mike moved to Esko and assumed the reins of the Eskomos program. During the course of his 19 seasons at the helm of the Esko program he led Eskomos squads to eleven Polar League Conference crowns and six Section titles with State Tournament Appearances including a 2013-14 State Class AA Championship. In 2019, Mike accepted the Head Coaching position at Duluth Denfeld and spent three years leading the Hunters prior to retiring from teaching and coaching in 2021. He is a member of the 500 Wins Club with an overall mark of 519-230. Coach Devney was recognized by his peers as Section Coach of the Year seven times and was named Minnesota Class A Coach of the Year in 1999 and Minnesota Class AA Coach of the Year in 2003. Mike is a lifetime MSHSCA member.

Mike McDonald’s coaching career has spanned 42 years- starting as an assistant coach at Askov in 1981. Mike moved to Presho, SD in 1982 and after serving one year as an assistant coach he accepted and held the Head Coaching position from 1983-87 and led Lyman HS to a 67-20 record, four conference titles, and a 1985 SD Class B State Championship. In 1987 Mike moved back across the border and resumed his Minnesota coaching career as the Head Basketball Coach at Cambridge-Isanti High School. Bluejacket cagers have won six conference titles and four Section Championships with State Tournament appearances with Coach McDonald at the helm. McDonald has been recognized by his peers with multiple Conference Coach of the Year honors and is a five time Section Coach of the Year honoree. Mike is a member of the 500 wins club with an overall mark of 524-483. In addition to coaching basketball, Coach McDonald also served as Track and Field throwing coach for 32 years at C-I. He was named MSHSCA Assistant Track Coach of the Year in 2000. Mike is a lifetime MSHSCA member. He served on the MBCA Executive Board as a Section rep and 2014-15 MBCA President and coached in the MBCA All Star Series. Coach McDonald retired from teaching in 2021 but continues to serve as Head Basketball Coach at Cambridge-Isanti and will be entering his 37th campaign with the start of the 2023-24 season.

Charles Portis became the Head Boys basketball coach at St. Paul Como Park in 1983 after beginning his career as head coach at St. Paul Ramsey Jr. High School in 1980. After spending five years leading the Cougars, Portis moved on to St. Paul Highland Park in 1988 where he coached until his retirement in 2010. During his 22-year tenure as the Scots head coach his teams won four St. Paul City Conference Championships and one Section Title. Portis’ 1998-99 squad, featuring sophomore and future University of Minnesota Golden Gopher Moe Hargrow, finished with a 27-2 mark and a Class AAA State Championship. At the time of his retirement in 2010, Portis’ 310 victories were second to MBCA Hall of Famer Dan Brink. Today he ranks fourth behind current St. Paul Central head coach Scott Howell, who played for him at Ramsey Jr. High, MBCA Hall of Famer Vern Simmons, and Brink. In addition to his basketball coaching role, Charles, was an employee of the St. Paul Public School District, serving as a guidance counselor at Highland Park.

Mike Sjoberg became the Head Boys Basketball coach at St. Thomas Academy in 1992 and led the Cadets basketball program for the next 20 seasons, retiring in 2015. Mike started his basketball coaching career as the Head Coach at Hastings; spending 3 years leading the Raiders prior to moving to STA. Coach Sjoberg led the Cadets to nine Conference titles and six Section crowns. St. Thomas Academy won1998 and 2007 State Championships and earned three State runner-up and one State third place finish in their six State Tournament appearances under his tutelage and leadership . Mike was recognized by his peers as Section Coach of the Year two times and Associated Press Coach of the Year in 2006. Coach Sjoberg finished his career with an overall mark of 395-149; a 72.6% winning percentage. In addition to coaching boys basketball, he also coached varsity golf for 27 years. His career at St. Thomas Academy included serving as a Teacher, including being named 2006 Teacher of the Year, Dean of Students, Principal, and Assistant Headmaster. Mike passed away in 2021.

Mark Torgerson’s coaching career spanned 42 years- starting as an Assistant Baseball Coach at Morris in 1981. After stints as an assistant coach in Girls and Boys basketball, Mark assumed the reins of the Tigers boys basketball program in 1987 and led the Tiger hoopsters for the next 35 years. Under his leadership, the Morris hoopsters earned eight West Central Conference titles and won eleven District/Sub-Section titles and four Section championships with State Tournament berths. The 1994 Tigers finished as Class A State Tournament runners-up. Coach Torgerson was recognized by his peers by being named Section Coach of the Year four times. He is a member of the 500 wins club and concluded his career with an overall record of 593-311 in his 35 years at the helm of the Tigers program. In addition to coaching basketball, Coach Torgerson also coached baseball for 21 years at Morris, including five years as the Head Coach. Mark is a lifetime MSHSCA member and participated as a coach in the MBCA All Star Series. Torgerson retired from coaching at the conclusion of the 2022 season.

Kurt Virgin spent the first five years of his 36 year coaching career as the Head Basketball Coach at Claremont HS during which he led the Parrots to a 74-29 record and three Conference championships. In 1981, he accepted a teaching/coaching position at Apple Valley HS where he served as Boys Assistant Basketball Coach for two years before accepting the position of Head Girls Basketball Coach in 1983. After leading the Eagles Girls squad for 6 seasons, he accepted the Head Boys Basketball coaching position at newly opening Eagan HS in 1990; a position he held for the next 21 years. Under Coach Virgin’s leadership the Wildcats won four Section crowns with State Tournament berths; finishing as AAAA State runners-up in 1998. Coach Virgin is a member of the 400 Wins Club with an overall 485-313 career mark. He was a four time Section 1AAAA Coach of the Year honoree. Kurt also served as a Soccer Coach for 24 years and ranks as the 6th winningest Soccer Coach in Minnesota HS history with 445 wins. Coach Virgin is a lifetime MSHSCA member and coached in the 2007 MBCA All Star Series. He retired from teaching and coaching in 2011.