Biography

Oftring was an exceptional student and athlete at Holy Cross.  Oftring played at Brooklyn Tech High and then began a 3 1/2-year stint in the Navy. He had an opportunity to play service basketball and it was while stationed at Quonset (R.I.) Naval Station that Oftring caught the eye of then Crusader coach Alvin Julian, who brought him to Mount St. James. A defensive wizard and an aggressive rebounder, Oftring and classmate Bob Cousy were the keys to Holy Cross’ march to the NCAA crown as freshmen in 1947. The Crusaders were 99-19 during their four years and Oftring gained additional distinction as a four-year Dean’s List student in business administration, graduating cum laude. The president of the Class of 1950 also was awarded the John C. Lawlor Gold Medal, given to the outstanding student-athlete in the graduating class. In the early 1950s Oftring and Cousy went into business together, with Oftring also coaching at St. Peter’s High for six years. He joined the Holy Cross staff in 1959 and posted four straight winning seasons (and a combined 64-33 record) as head coach before resigning to spend his time as president of a local investment firm. He passed away in 1982.