Biography

One of the best athletes of his time at South Eugene, Don DuShane earned seven varsity letters in football, basketball, and track and field. In addition to sports, DuShane participated in the E Club, the Ski Club, and the Axemen's Council for two years.

DuShane started his prep basketball career with a bang his sophomore season against North Bend scoring seven of his 17 points in the final quarter leading to a South Eugene 51-44 win. In the Feb. 23, 1959 article written by Kenn Hess, sports editor of The World (Coos Bay), "DuShane was a scampering dynamo and catty ball hawk, literally stole a sure state tournament berth from the Bulldogs."

Later Hess would write, "With DuShane pilfering the ball no less than six times and forcing three jump balls leading to seven SE baskets, North Bend fell apart at the seams and collapsed like the stock market crash of ‘29."
 

A three-year starter, DuShane was named one of the top eight basketball players in the state of Oregon by Sport magazine (Feb. 1961). He was named unanimous District 5-A-1 first team selection averaging 13 points per game helping the Axe to a fourth-place state tournament finish in 1961. South Eugene was fourth at the state tourney the previous season.

During his senior year, he helped generate one of the greatest comebacks in school history providing the assist with three seconds remaining to teammate Bo Blair with the game-winning basket to defeat Marshfield, 56-55, qualifying South for the state tournament. DuShane scored six of his 16 points helping the Axe rally from a 10-point deficit with 2:49 remaining.

He once made the game-winning basket, a half-court shot as time expired defeating South Salem, 56-54 (Dec. 6, 1960). He led all scorers with 20 points. Injuries plagued his senior year on the gridiron with a torn meniscus in his left knee. However, DuShane once scored three touchdowns against Cottage Grove, 40-7 (Sept. 24, 1960) with runs of 1, 13, and 28 yards.

DuShane earned a basketball scholarship at the University of Oregon lettering in 1965 and 1966. After graduating, he worked for the Oregon State System of Higher Education and the University of Washington before returning to the U of O completing a master's degree in college counseling. When he worked with the OSSHE, DuShane represented all seven state universities/colleges traveling the state speaking with graduating seniors about the importance of going to college.  

For the next 35 years, he worked for San Jose University as an administrator and counselor, spending his free time volunteering as a national officer for the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity, coaching recreational soccer, and high school basketball and tennis.

After DuShane’s high school and college days were over, he returned to Eugene and organized the Rain Cup, a golf tournament from 1994 to 2018 bringing fun and camaraderie for any SEHS graduate.

He resides in San Jose, Calif., with his wife, Gloria. DuShane has two children, Wendy, and Donald IV.  The DuShane's are the proud grandparents of LJ, Addison Rose, and Dayton DuShane.