Salina's Bicentennial Center Court To Be Named After Budke

News9.com

SALINA, Kansas – The city of Salina's (Kan.) Bicentennial Center, a multi-purpose facility and sports arena, will be named after late OSU coach Kurt Budke.

Budke, who died along with three others in a plane crash on Nov. 17 in Arkansas, was a native of Salina.

Two friends of Budke filed a petition earlier this month, gathering 300 signatures needed to bring the suggestion to a vote before the city commissioners, who then voted unanimously to approve the naming.

The two men, Larry Britegam and Mike Chaput, said they hope to unveil the court naming during the NJCAA Women's National Championship in March.

"The thought of naming the court after him would be a great fit and tribute to one of Salina's own," Chaput told the Salina Journal. "I thought it would be appropriate to honor and recognize Kurt Budke for his accomplishments in basketball."

Britegam and Chaput said a temporary decal will be placed on the court during the Championships and would later be replaced with a permanent painted logo, all privately funded.

As a player at Sacred Heart High School in the late 1970s, Budke set school record for scoring and rebounding that still stand.

Britegam and Chaput said they would also like to install a shadow box depicting Budke's life that would allow more people to learn about his life and career.