UM Release:
UPLAND, Ind. – University of Michigan men’s basketball assistant coach Jeff Meyer will be inducted in the Taylor University Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday, Oct. 18, as part of the school’s Homecoming celebration.
“I am humbled and feel extremely blessed with this honor,” said Meyer. "Taylor University provided me a life changing college experience as a student-athlete which enabled me to establish a Faith foundation that has served my family and me well in our journey through life together.
“Life is a team sport. So many friends, co-workers, colleagues and former players have made this recognition possible. I want to express my heartfelt appreciation to these life teammates, and especially my wife, Karen, and our family for their enduring support and encouragement.”
“Jeff values his education at Taylor so much,” said Michigan Head Coach John Beilein. “He talks about it often and knows it’s been a separator for him in his life that allowed him to get into coaching and allowed him to have a tremendous career as a coach. It’s terrific to be recognized by your Alma Mater in an environment like this; he certainly deserves it and I’m glad they are honoring him in this way.”
A 1976 Taylor graduate, Meyer is beginning his seventh season as a member of the Michigan basketball staff. During in time in Ann Arbor, the Wolverines have won a pair of Big Ten championships (2012, '14) and reached the NCAA Tournament five times, including back-to-back Elite Eight’s in 2013 and 2014, including a trip to the Final Four and championship game in 2013.
Meyer has spent 36 years coaching collegiately and has been a part of 670 victories as a head and assistant coach, including 19 trips to postseason competition.
A native of Reynolds, Ind., Meyer began his collegiate coaching career as an assistant at Purdue, helping the Boilermakers to a Big Ten championship in 1979 and the Final Four in 1980. He then spent one season as an assistant at South Florida, where he helped the Bulls reach the NIT.
Meyer was the head coach at Liberty University for 16 seasons from 1981-97, guiding the Flames through their transition from NAIA to NCAA Division I. Meyer won 259 games at Liberty and is the school’s all-time winningest coach. In 1994, Meyer and the Flames won the Big South and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.
Following his time at Liberty, Meyer worked as an assistant at Winthrop (1998-01), Butler (2001-04), Missouri (2004-06) and Indiana (2006-08) prior to coming to Ann Arbor. During those 10 seasons, Meyer helped guide his teams to eight postseason appearances, including six NCAA Tournament trips, highlighted by Butler reaching the Sweet 16 in 2003.
Meyer is one of four inductees into the Taylor University Athletic Hall of Fame this weekend, joining long-time Taylor Faculty Athletic Representative Tim Burkholder, former men’s tennis head coach Bob Blume and women’s basketball player Liz Plass Martin.