Woodbury girls basketball: Preller to retire at year's end

After 32 years of coaching, longtime Woodbury girls basketball coach and Woodbury High School teacher Dave Preller will retire at the end of the 2010-11 school year.

“It’s time,” Preller said. “I’ve been fortunate and owe a lot to District 833, the Woodbury community and my family. There is absolutely no way I could have enjoyed this career without an incredible wife and family.”

Preller has been head girls basketball at Woodbury the last 24 years, but began as Park girl head coach for his first two years. Prior to leading the Park girls, Preller was an assistant at Woodbury for six years.

Preller’s current career record is 531-142. His legacy includes one state championship in 2003, a runner-up finish in 1998, a third-place finish in 2004 and a fourth-place finish in 2002, along with 16 conference championships and 10 section championships.

Preller was elected to the Minnesota Girls Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002, when he was also the Minnesota Coach of the Year. He has been a seven-time Section Coach of the Year.

This year, Woodbury is 18-6 overall and finished second in the Suburban East Conference with a 14-3 record.

Preller said he is most proud of the competitive level his teams maintained year after year, continually battling for conference and section championships every year.

Preller has taught for 34 years in District 833, 32 years of those years at Woodbury High School in the Business Education Department. He has also been Department Chairman for the last six years. His family includes wife Marcia and daughters Anne and Liz.

Tags: sports, basketball, woodbury, royals, prep, updates