Minnesota State University - Mankato Athletics

Served as coach, administrator and professor in health and physical education at MSU from 1921 until 1961...Served as director of athletics from 1924-38...Coached the school's first team - men's basketball in 1921-22...During his 43 years at MSU he was responsible for expanding the athletic program from two sports to nine sports...Coached several sports during his time at Mankato State including men's basketball, football, gymnastics, baseball and track and field...Served as the dean of coaches at MSU...Under his direction, MSU produced an excellent intramural program...Several Hall of Fame members played under Blakeslee...In 1962, the then new football stadium was named in his honor.

Started his career in athletics in the state of Pennsylvania where he participated in high school and college athletics at Edinboro State College.   Blakeslee coached three years at Mankato High School (1920-23) and with high schools in Ft. Dodge (Iowa) and at Minneapolis Edison before coming to Mankato State.

During his time as the Mankato State football coach (1924-34), his teams posted a 38-27-6 record and were co-champs of the Little Ten in 1931.  He coached the men's basketball team from 1921-1939 during which his teams went 117-81 and claimed four conference titles.  He led Mankato State's gymnastics teams from 1942-61 and his teams won 13 Class B and C Northwestern Open titles.  He had six conference track titles from 1929-1937   He coached the men's golf team to ten conference titles from 1950-61.  He served as MSU's baseball coach twice (1936-40 and 1945-49) and started the MSU men's tennis program in 1929.