Yakima Valley College Athletics

During a distinguished 37-year career at YVC, Ellwood Crosier served as a psychology instructor, head men's basketball coach, and head women's basketball coach.  During his head coaching career, Ellwood won a total of 523 games in 24 seasons.

A graduate of Wapato High School, Ellwood was a YVC athlete, playing basketball for YVC Hall of Fame coach Glen Sherar.  During his playing career, he was named the team's Most Inpirational Player for the 1953-54 and 1954-55 seasons.  After graduating from the University of Washington with a degree in psychology, Crosier returned to YVC as a pyschology instructor in the 1958-59 academic year.  He assisted Sherar for five years and in 1964 became the men's basketball coach.  Overall, his men's teams compiled a 292-204 record and won NWAC championships in 1966 and 1976.

Ellwood was also a highly successful women's basketball coach.  During his tenure, his women's teams were 231-88 and won back-to-back NWAACC championships in 1990 and 1991.  After he retired from the college in 1995, Ellwood had the unique oportunity to be an assistant women's basketball coach for his daughter Lanette and assisted that team in winning the 1996 Eastern Region championship.  He was inducted into the NWAC Hall of Fame in 1997.