William Arthur Ganfield

William Arthur Ganfield
Ganfield c. 1920
11th President of Centre College
In office
1915–1921
Preceded byFrederick W. Hinitt
Succeeded byR. Ames Montgomery
Personal details
Born(1873-09-03)September 3, 1873
Dubuque County, Iowa
DiedOctober 18, 1940(1940-10-18) (aged 67)
Wisconsin

William Arthur Ganfield (September 3, 1873, in Dubuque County, Iowa – October 18, 1940, in Wisconsin) was an American educator who served as president of Centre College in Danville, Kentucky from 1915 to 1921 and later president of Carroll College (now called Carroll University) from 1921 until his retirement in 1939.[1]

Ganfield was a supporter of athletic programs at both schools. He was president at Centre College during the school's 1921 Centre vs. Harvard football game, when Centre scored a victorious upset over national favorite Harvard University. As of 2006, the game is still considered by ESPN as one of the greatest college football upset victories of all time.[2]

Ganfield continued his support of football as college president at Carroll. He boasted that within four years' time the school would be beating the Wisconsin Badgers in football.[3] In his first year as college president, the team fell far short of that mark with one win for the season and was outscored by 119 to 14, leaving fans and the school administration sorely disappointed under head coach C.C. Boone. By 1925, the school had a perfect 8–0 season under head coach Norris Armstrong. As of 2008, the school has never played the "Badgers" in football.[4]

  1. ^ Centre College Willam A. Ganfield, Centre College President 1915 - 1921
  2. ^ AM News "ESPN ranks 1921 Centre-Harvard game among college football's greatest upsets" By HAL MORRIS June 26, 2006
  3. ^ Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune "Carroll's New President Talks of Centre's Teams" September 28, 1921
  4. ^ Carroll College/University Football season-by-season results