Bio

Dennis Biletnikoff attended Hilltop High School in Chula Vista, California. An outstanding basketball player, Dennis was Team Captain and Most Valuable Player as Hilltop earned 1962 Metro League Co-Champions Honors. He was also selected Metro League Most Valuable Player and was named to the All San Diego C.I.F. Section Team.

At Southwestern College, Dennis continued his education and his basketball career, setting the school record by scoring 58 points in a game against San Diego Naval Training Center in 1963. A pure shooter and as team captain he led the “Apaches” in scoring (19.77 ppg; leadership, he was elected the team’s Most Valuable Player and was selected to the All- League Eastern Conference Teams in both 1962 and 1963.

As a result of his achievements at Southwestern College, Dennis earned an athletic scholarship to the University of Montana in Missoula, graduating in 1968. As team captain, he again led the league in scoring (15.1 ppg; 363 total points). In 1967, he was selected the 14^th recipient of the Dragsted Award given to the team’s Most Valuable Player. In addition, he was voted Honorable Mention to the Big Sky Conference’s All-League Team. Based on his college performance, Dennis earned a professional tryout with the San Diego Rockets in 1968.

Returning to San Diego, Dennis taught and coached at Valhalla High School in Grossmont Union High School District for 32 years and retired in June 2006. In 1979, Dennis coached the 1973 Santana High School freshmen to the Grossmont League Basketball Championship.

He also coached the Santana girls’ junior varsity and varsity basketball teams for 15 years. His record as Varsity Girl’s Head Coach is 97-20. Notably in 1979, he was voted C.I.F. Girls’ Basketball Coach of the Year taking his team to a 26-4 record, the Grossmont League Championship, and second in the C.I.F. Finals. In 1987 and 1988, Dennis was Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach at Grossmont College.