(Story Courtesy Northern State University
Athletics)
LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Don Meyer, Northern
State University's men's basketball coach and a former baseball and
basketball player at Northern Colorado, was awarded the prestigious
Jimmy V Perseverance Award last week during ESPN's annual ESPY
Awards. The award was presented to Meyer on Wednesday, July 15, at
the Nokia Theatre, and the taped show aired on ESPN on Sunday, July
19. Actor Samuel L. Jackson served as the show host.
Meyer's award comes following his remarkable recovery from a Sept.
5 car accident that resulted in the amputation of part of his left
leg. However, neither the accident nor the subsequent cancer
diagnosis were able to stop him from returning to the sidelines for
the 2008-09 season, which saw him become the winningest men's
basketball coach in NCAA history. Meyer led the Wolves to victory
on Jan. 10 to record his 903rd career win, breaking the previous
record held by Bobby Knight. Meyer finished the season with 910
career wins.
The Jimmy V Award for Perseverance is named for the late Jimmy
Valvano, who coached at North Carolina State and later was an ESPN
commentator before passing away after a fight with cancer. The
award is presented to a deserving member of the sporting world who
has overcome great obstacles through physical determination and
perseverance.
Meyer becomes the third recipient of the award, which was first
awarded to Kay Yow, women's basketball coach at North Carolina
State, in 2007. Buffalo Bills tight end Kevin Everett was the 2008
recipient.
Don Meyer's 2009
Jimmy V Perseverance Award speech
