northern today 12 spring 2014 but he also excelled in the game that would become his life – basketball. Meyer attended the University of Northern Colorado and graduated in 1967. While at UNC, Meyer played baseball and basketball. On the baseball field, he posted a career pitching record of 22-2 and caught the attention of pro scouts. On the basketball court, Meyer led UNC to the 1966 NCAA college division playoffs and was named NCAA All-American. Meyer began his coaching career at Western State (Colo.), where he was an assistant from 1968 to 1970. From there he went to the University of Utah, where he served as an assistant basketball coach from 1970 to 1972 and earned a Ph.D. Meyer received his first head coaching position in 1972 when he was hired by Hamline University in St. Paul, Minn. He spent three seasons there, where he had a record of 37-41. Meyer inherited a program at Hamline that had a 30-177 record its six previous seasons. After a 5-20 record in his first season, Meyer turned things around, recording 16-10 and 16-11 records the next two seasons. Hamline reached the NCAA Division III Elite Eight in Meyer’s final year there. NAIA I David Lipscomb University, Nashville, Tenn., recruited Meyer from Hamline. In the early years at Lipscomb, Meyer leveraged the rules of the game to get the most talent out of his players. Often playing opponents who were bigger, stronger and faster than the Lipscomb athletes, Meyer’s slow-down, fundamental-style won many games. As the game and rules of basketball changed over the years, Meyer changed with the times to develop in his Lipscomb teams the most explosive offense in the nation. Meyer spent 24 years as head coach at Lipscomb. In that time, he reached the 700win plateau faster than any other coach in the history of college basketball. During a 10-year span, Meyer’s Lipscomb Bison teams won more games than any other team in the country, averaging more than 32 wins per season for 10 years before his move to Northern. His 1989-90 team set a college basketball record with 41 wins. Meyer’s Bison teams made 13 national tournament appearances, winning the NAIA National Championship in 1986. Meyer was named NAIA National Coach of the Year in 1989 and 1990, and was selected to the NAIA Hall of Fame at the age of 47. He also assisted coach Mike Krzyzewski with the Olympic Sports Festival South Team in 1983. Relying on a motion offense that he carried with him to Northern, Meyer’s Bison teams led the nation in scoring in 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993 and 1995, averaging more than 100 points per game in each of those seasons. Meyer also coached college basketball’s first and second all-time leading scorers, former Lipscomb Bisons John Pierce and Philip Hutcheson. Other Meyer standouts set national records. Meyer’s son, Jerry, broke college basketball’s career assist record while playing for his father at Lipscomb. Bison Marcus Bodie holds the single-season and career record for steals in college basketball. Bison Andy McQueen holds the career 3-point field- goals-made record. Meyer’s system has produced three National Players of the Year and 22 All-Americans. Two of his Lipscomb players have received the GTE Academic Excellence Award for basketball. At Northern State University, Meyer coached 20 all-conference performers; five all-region performers; three NSIC MVPs (Brad Hansen, Matt Hammer and Kevin Ratzsch); two NSIC Tournament MVPs (Steve Smiley and Matt Hammer); NSIC Defensive Player of the Year (Smiley); and one All-American Honorable Mention selection (Hansen). In his third season at Northern, Meyer guided the Wolves to the 2002 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference co-championship and earned NSIC Coach of the Year honors. In 2004-05, Meyer surpassed 800 career wins and led the Wolves to their second straight NSIC Tournament Championship. His 800th career win came Dec. 11, 2004, when the Wolves defeated Minnesota Duluth 69-50. A crowd of 5,437 attending the game in the Barnett Center that evening witnessed a milestone that has been reached by just a handful of collegiate coaches. Eagles Don’t Fly With Their Legs I’ve hesitated to share my personal Coach Meyer story because I did not want those who did not know him to construe his initial remarks to me as inappropriate or politically incorrect, but here goes. As secretary for the student body at Lipscomb University (David Lipscomb College at the time), I would on occasion make some kind of announcement in our daily Chapel gatherings. I have a form of muscular dystrophy and stairs were a challenge, especially in the days before ADA regulations made for more accessibility. I depended heavily on handrails and would go one step at a time, but always kept going. I had met Coach briefly on occasions, but never had the opportunity to really know him as many did. One particular chapel, I was going up the steps behind the stage. Coach was doing the devo that morning and was waiting behind as I was going up. He asked very candidly as I was managing my choreographed routine to get up the steps, “Hey, I’ve never asked you before…why are you gimpy?” It never bothered me when people would ask. Really, I preferred it instead of them wondering. I spat out my mantra like I had done so many times, “It’s a form of muscular dystrophy. God just made my legs a little weaker than yours.” By then, I was up the last step, laughed while looking at his legs and finished saying, “Well, a lot weaker than yours.” He quickly responded, “Eagles don’t fly with their legs, remember that…I believe you will soar!” It was a moment he probably never thought of again and I will never forget. I was just one blip on his radar screen of constant encouragement and inspiration. He truly was a blessing to so many. Great game, Coach! You played life well! - Ginger Johnson Broslat For more information about memorial gifts, visit Coach MeyerTribute.com Excerpt from Coach MeyerTribute.com
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