Bill Salonen (2003) - Hall of Fame - Montana State University Athletics

Bill Salonen

Induction:
2003
Class:
1956

Bill Salonen- Basketball, 1952-56 Years at MSU: 1952-56 Honors Earned: Two-time All-Rocky Mountain Conference Hometown: Butte, Montana Presenter: Tom Parac “Bill was a team player, a team leader, and a wonderful gentleman on and off the floor.” –Doc Herwig, former MSU Athletic Trainer Bill Salonen produced some gaudy numbers during his career as a Bobcat basketball player. He scored 1,377 career points, still one of the top 15 totals in school history, and was recognized by Bobcat fans and opponents alike for his stylish play. But that’s not what Tom Parac remembers about Salonen. “Bill was touch,” Parac says. “He was a gritty, physical player. Even though he was only 6-3 he was very effective, a strong guy, broad. He was a good rebounder. And he could really shoot the jumper.” Salonen was never the biggest player on his team, but he was consistently cited for his ability to rebound, even in an age when that was not a commonly recorded statistic. He was second on his team in rebounding during his junior season, the only year of his career that rebounds were recorded in official statistics. He led the team in scoring each of his final two seasons, averaging 13.6 points as a junior and 12.8 as a senior. More telling than statistics, however, was what his teammates thought of him. Salonen was his team’s Most Valuable Player and a team captain as both a junior and a senior.