Beloved Northern State University coach Don Meyer, one of the nation’s most successful basketball coaches of all time, died the morning of May 18, finally succumbing to cancer after a courageous six-year fight. Meyer was 69. Meyer made college basketball history in 2009, surpassing Bobby Knight as the career victory leader. For two years, from 2009 to 2011, Meyer held the record for most wins for a men’s college basketball coach. Meyer retired from Northern State in 2010 with an overall win-loss record of 923-324. His most-wins record was topped a year later by another basketball great, Duke University coach Mike Krzyzewski. Meyer’s battle with cancer began in September 2008 when doctors treating him for injuries sustained in a life-threatening car crash discovered cancer in his liver and intestines during emergency surgery. Doctors amputated Meyer’s left leg below the knee as a result of injuries he received in the crash. Several days later they operated on the cancer. Despite an eight-week stay in the hospital, Meyer returned to the sidelines for the duration of the 2008-09 season, leading the Wolves to their second straight appearance in the Division II national tournament in March. Meyer’s challenges garnered national media attention throughout the 2008-09 season. He was awarded the Jimmy V. Award for Perseverance at the 2009 ESPY Awards in Los Angeles. He also received the John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award, given by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame for significant contributions to the sport of basketball. Meyer is also the subject of an extensive biography, “How Lucky You Can Be: The Story of Coach Don Meyer,” written by ESPN baseball analyst Buster Olney. Olney has had a close relationship with Meyer since Olney was assigned to cover baseball in Nashville while Meyer was coaching at Lipscomb University. Early Years A native of Wayne, Neb., Meyer had aspirations as a youngster of one day being a major league baseball player. Not only was he an outstanding baseball player, a tribute to Don Meyer
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzkyNTY=