Few Notre Dame basketball players represented both the school and the state of Indiana as well as Walt Sahm. At 6-foot-9, he was key at a time when big men were highly valued in basketball. That height allowed him to soar to rebounding greatness with the Irish after a nice high school career with Cathedral in Indianapolis. On Jan. 5, Sahm passed away of complications from COVID-19 at the age of 78.
From 1962 to 1965, Sahm averaged 16.9 rebounds a game, giving him a program record that stands to this day. He’s also third in Notre Dame history with 1,146 rebounds. With a 15.8 scoring average, he’s only of only two players to average over 15 points and 15 rebounds over their Irish career. All of that, along with being a three-year starter and co-captain, made him an easy choice for Notre Dame’s All-Century Team, which was unveiled during the 2004-05 season.
During Sahm’s career, the Irish went 42-35 and made the NCAA Tournament twice. Both appearances ended in close first-round defeats. In 1963, Sahm had 14 points and 15 rebounds but couldn’t match the 16 points and 20 boards from Bowling Green’s Nate Thurmond. He finished his career in fitting fashion two years later with a 17-point, 10-rebound performance against Houston.