Hall of Fame
Position: Forward
USF Career Years: 1951-1955
Hometown: San Francisco
Career Highlights: Named All-California Association Honorable Mention; Member of 1955 NCAA Championship Team, Boyle Loyalty Award for Most Inspirational Graduating Senior; USF Hall of Fame Member (1976).
Stanlee J. Buchanan was born in August, 1933 in San Francisco, and attended Saint Ignatius College Preparatory. He attended USF and played as a forward from 1951 to 1955, and lettered on the Varsity Team for three years. He played only four games as a sophomore, sixteen as a junior, but started all 29 games as a senior, and they went on to win the NCAA title in 1955. Buchanan was not a prolific scorer (3.9 PPG), but his mastery of defense made him an important part of the team, and they finished the season 28-1. Woolpert said of him: "Stan is a court opportunist, and he likes the rough going. An excellent student, he has the capacity to anticipate his opponent's actions on the floor. Most important, he is a complete hustler and never slows down (USF Athlletics)."
Favorite USF Memories: "To be able to receive beautiful passes from the incomparable K.C. Jones and pass the ball to the magnificent Bill Russell, and play alongside of the outstanding Jerry Mullen and effervescent Harold Perry was a sports memory to be cherished. I never wanted to let these great players down and the memories are overwhelming."
The USF Student-Athlete Experience: "A feeling of belonging."
They Said It: "At one forward we had Jerry Mullen, a tremendous player, a fine jumper, excellent outside shooter, very strong off the board, with a natural sense for the game. At the other forward was 6’ 2” Stan Buchanan. He couldn’t jump, he was slow, a poor shooter, with very little all-around skill, but he had heart, determination, and a tremendous attitude. He was also very smart. Stan started every game for us, including the championship contests and did everything I asked of him. Basically he did it with determination, a big heart. We pitted him against 6’ 8” forwards and he still got the job done. He typified our team spirit one-for-all and all-for-one. That team spirit carried us all the way to two straight national championships," USF Head Coach Phil Woolpert (USF Athletics).
Did You Know?: Buchanan is a legend at Redwood High School where he taught English and coached tennis. The tennis courts are named in his honor.
Life After USF: Buchanan was the Head Basketball Coach at Saint Vincent’s in Vallejo, CA. before taking over at Saint Ignatius College Preparatory, his alma mater. He guided the Wildcats to a city championship while also coaching the freshman squad at USF. Buchanan was an English teacher at Redwood High School in Larkspur for thirty years, the Department Chair for five years, taught Environmental Education, and coached tennis.
