Buena Vista University (BVU) has announced that the basketball court inside Siebens Fieldhouse will be renamed Saggau Family Court in honor of the late Bernie Saggau, a 1949 BVU graduate, Denison native, and longtime champion of Iowa athletics and education. Saggau, who passed away on May 10 at the age of 96, left an enduring legacy as a student-athlete, coach, official, administrator, and mentor. He served as executive director of the Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) for 38 years and was widely respected across the state and nation. BVU President Dr. Brian Lenzmeier says, “We are proud to name the court in recognition of Bernie’s extraordinary commitment to BVU, our student-athletes, and the state of Iowa. His leadership, generosity, and lifelong example of service have left a lasting mark on this institution and all who knew him.” In his youth, Saggau excelled in football, basketball, and track at Denison High School and BVU and was a charter inductee into the university’s Athletics Hall of Fame. He also served 23 years on the university’s board of trustees. The naming, which also honors his late wife, Lois, is part of BVU’s Building Champions campaign. A dedication ceremony is planned for this fall.
