Northern State coach Don Meyer’s numbers don’t need any explanation - they speak for themselves. MEYER GOT HIS START in coaching in 1976, spending three years at the helm of NCAA Division III Hamline University in St. Paul, Minn. From there, he moved to Lipscomb, where he spent 24 years amassing more than 650 wins. Meyer’s Bison teams were so successful, in fact, that he tacked on 100 wins approximately every three seasons, and guided his teams to national scoring titles five times in a seven-year span. After making the move to Northern State and the NCAA Division II, Meyer’s success found a new avenue of greatness. He recorded his 800th win at home on Dec. 11, 2004, and moved into second place on the NCAAMen’s all-time, all-division wins chart during • 1,220 games (as of March 14, 2009) as a head coach, covering a span of 36+ years. • More than 48,800 minutes of game coaching time. That translates to more than 813 hours, or nearly 34 entire days on the sidelines. • An NCAA all-division, all-time record 911 career wins, a number that puts him atop a list that includes the likes of Bob Knight, Adolph Rupp, Dean Smith and Herb Magee. • An overall career record of 910-308 and a career winning percentage of .747. • A 10-year span in which his teams averaged more than 32 wins per season while at Lipscomb University (Tenn.) • Six straight (and counting) 20-win seasons at Northern. • Only one player in 36+ years who did not complete his degree. But it’s the categories that can’t be measured by numbers that are perhaps the most telling of a storied career that spans nearly four decades. • A faith that allows the 64-year-old to call a car accident on Sept. 5 - an accident that resulted in the loss of part of his left leg - nothing short of a blessing. • The grit and determination to work his way back to the sidelines for Northern State’s season opener less than three months after that accident. • Legions of fans and former players, who exhibit a fierce loyalty to a man who has, in some way, helped shape their lives. • And a care-nothing attitude toward the milestones, honors and awards that have etched his name atop the record books. NORTHERN TODAY 8 Northern ATHLETICS COACH DONMEYER Left to right surrounding Coach Meyer: Jarod Markley, Lance Lee, junior; Marty Gregor, sophomore; Kyle Schwan, senior; Casey Becker, freshman and Collin Pryor, freshman
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