Walter "Buck" Van Huss was an iconic figure in the realm of Tennessee high school basketball, whose career stretched over 37 years from 1953 to 1990. His journey as a teacher and a coach began at Elizabethton High School for the 1953-1954 academic year. He then moved to Hampton High School, where he coached from 1954 to 1967, before concluding his career at Kingsport Dobyns-Bennett High School from 1967 until his retirement in 1990. Despite not starting his coaching career until the age of 35, Van Huss became a legend in high school basketball, culminating in his prestigious induction into the TSSAA Hall of Fame in 1983.

Van Huss is best remembered for his unparalleled success as a boys' basketball coach. He amassed a remarkable record of 1,021 wins to 313 losses, positioning him as the number one coach in terms of wins in the State of Tennessee and ranking him within the top ten nationally. Under his guidance, his teams won 17 Conference Championships, 10 District Titles, 12 Region Titles, and notably, one State Championship with Hampton High School in 1960.

His contributions to high school athletics garnered him widespread recognition and several hall of fame inductions. Notably, he was inducted into the National High School Sports Hall of Fame in 1990, the year he passed away. He also received the honor of National Coach of the Year in 1985, among other accolades including induction into the Pirate Hall of Fame at East Tennessee State University in 1978 and the Northeast Tennessee Hall of Fame in 1983, the same year he was celebrated by the TSSAA. Van Huss's legacy is also cemented by 11 Coach of the Year Honors and his nomination as the Olympic Festival-South Team Coach in 1986.

Van Huss's induction into the TSSAA Hall of Fame in 1983 was a testament to his significant impact on high school basketball in Tennessee, highlighting his dedication to sports excellence and his indelible mark on the athletes he coached and the communities he served.

TSSAA Hall of Fame
Class: 1983
Category: Coach