W. Robert Voigts (Football and Basketball, 1936-38, Football Coach, 1947-54)
Voigts was an offensive tackle in the 1930s, and he helped the Wildcats win the Big Ten championship in 1936. In 1938, Voigts earned All-America and All-Big Ten honors, and he also played on the Northwestern basketball team. After graduating, Voigts entered the U.S. Navy during World War II. He also worked as a tackle coach for the Cleveland Browns.
After just one year with the Browns, Voigts became the coach of Northwestern's football team. He coached the Wildcats in their first bowl game, a 20-14 victory over California in the 1949 Rose Bowl. After retiring from coaching in 1955, Voigts ran a real estate business in Evanston for over 30 years.
Northwestern presently honors its outstanding coach of the year with the Voigts Coach of the Year Award.
