Lipscomb hosts 1986 NAIA National Championship 20-Year Reunion Dinner
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Lipscomb University Athletics is excited to announce a special evening to honor the 1986 NAIA National Champion Bison Basketball team and former Bison Coach Don Meyer. On Nov. 4, Lipscomb will welcome Coach Meyer and the 1986 Bisons – winners of the 49th Annual NAIA National Tournament in Kansas City, Mo., on March 18, 1986.
Tickets for the dinner are $20 each or $150 a table. The event will be held in Allen Arena on the Lipscomb campus beginning at 6:30 p.m. For additional information or to purchase tickets contact the Lipscomb Athletic Department at 615-279-6479.
The Bisons entered the 1986 tournament as the #11 seed and won five games in six days to capture the championship. Senior John Kimbrell, from Loretto, Tenn., was named the Tournament's Most Valuable Player and the Bisons were presented the Tournament's Sportsmanship Award.
Lipscomb opened the 1985-86 season by winning their first 18 games and reached the #1 ranking in the NAIA for the first time in school history. The Bisons would win both the Tennessee Collegiate Athletic Conference and the District 24 to advance to Kansas City for the third time in the program's history. The Bisons opened up the NAIA tournament by defeating The University of Minnesota-Duluth 62-56. In game two Lipscomb defeated hometown favorite Emporia State 79-76 in front of nearly 10,000 fans. The Bisons advanced to the final four by defeating Central Washington 80-64. In the semi-finals Lipscomb blew by St. Thomas Aquinas 102-91, leading by as many as 24 points in the second half. In the championship game, Lipscomb beat Arkansas-Monticello 67-54 to capture the NAIA National Championship.
Lipscomb became the first team from Nashville to win the NAIA National Tournament since Tennessee State in 1959. The Bisons finished the 1985-86 season with a 35-4 record.
Lipscomb team members included Don Meyer, Head Coach; Ralph Turner, Assistant Coach; Seniors, Tom Kelsey from Chattanooga, Tenn.; Jerry Bridges from Valdosta, Ga.; John Kimbrell; and Greg Glenn from Arcadia, Fla.; Juniors Duwain Houston from Savannah, Ga.; Chris Martello from Baker, Fla.; Richard Taylor from Franklin, Tenn.; Bob Ford and Anthony Jones from Huntsville, Ala.; Sophomore Greg Caudle from Huntsville, Ala.; and Freshmen Chris Bradshaw from Norman, Okla.; Tony Clanton from Florence, Ala.; and Dave Kimbrell from Loretto, Tenn.
Lipscomb University, located in Nashville, Tenn., is now a member the Atlantic Sun Conference and competes at the NCAA Division I level. Visit Lipscombsports.com for additional information.