The numbers, impressive as they are, speak for themselves. But for Meyer, the 2008-09 season has been about anything but numbers. The women’s basketball program battled youth, inexperience and the injury bug in 2008-09, but still recorded a respectable 12-15 record overall and an 8-12 mark in NSIC play. The Wolves, who at times started games with four freshmen in the line-up, were still in the hunt for a NSIC tournament berth entering the final week of the regular season, but dropped out of contention after falling to nationally ranked MSU Moorhead in NSU’s final home game on Feb. 25. NSU will look to reload next season with a healthy Jodi Reinschmidt – who suffered a season-ending knee injury in late December – and a corps of battle-tested youngsters. The Wolves do not lose a single senior this season. WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Men’s Basketball the 2007-08 season, finishing the year with 891 career victories. Then came the accident, followed by eight grueling weeks of surgeries, therapy and more pain than he had ever thought possible. His return to the court in time for the Wolves’ season opener on Nov. 18, surprised no one, particularly his team. Stalking the sidelines – albeit from a wheelchair instead of his usual pacing – is its own brand of therapy. That therapy paid off as the incomparable duo of Meyer and “Little Buddy” notched win number 900 on Dec. 15, a 79-69 victory over sixth-ranked Minnesota State, Mankato. With the win, Meyer became just the second coach in NCAA men’s basketball history to record 900 career victories. He then proceeded to notch the record-breaking 903rd win in front of a crowd of 6,654 on Jan. 10, 2009, passing up Bob Knight for first place on the NCAA all-time career wins chart. Mikayla Barondeau, freshman, Frederick, S.D. Kevin Ratzsch, senior, Bloomington, Ill. NORTHERN TODAY 9 Northern ATHLETICS In a season best characterized by its ups and downs, the men’s basketball squad made the wins count when they needed to. Led by seniors Kyle Schwan and Kevin Ratzsch, the Wolves rebounded from a rocky pre-season to hand legendary head coach Don Meyer his record-breaking 903rd career win on Jan. 10, 2009. That win broke the all-time record for most career wins by an NCAA men’s coach, a mark formerly held by Texas Tech coach Bobby Knight. Meyer, who battled back from a serious car accident on Sept. 5 that resulted in the loss of part of his left leg and a cancer diagnosis, was on the sidelines for all 28 games of the season, leading the Wolves to their tenth NSIC tournament berth in his 10 years at the helm. Ratzsch also became the third player in Meyer’s tenure to be named the NSIC Player of the Year, joining Brad Hansen and current NSU graduate assistant Matt Hammer in that category.
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