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Steve Tappmeyer is in his 20th season as head coach at Northwest Missouri
State University. He continues as the winningest coach in program history,
with more than twice as many wins than any of his predecessors. He’s won 15
or more games in each of his last 10 seasons, a program record.
Tappmeyer picked up his fourth MIAA Coach of the Year award after leading
Northwest to a conference co-championship and its seventh NCAA tournament
appearance in the last eight years. The Bearcats were 24-7 overall, 15-3 in
the league, and advanced to the second round of the postseason tournament.
The Bearcats also featured the MIAA’s Most Valuable Player in sophomore
Hunter Henry and the league’s Freshman of the Year in Lance Sullivan. Henry
is the third Northwest MVP in the last 10 seasons under Tappmeyer and later
was named the coach’s fourth All-American. Sullivan is the second player
under Tappmeyer to be named the league’s Freshman of the Year.
The 2006-07 season marked the
eighth time in the last 10 years that the Bearcats surpassed 21 wins.
Northwest played solid defense, had few turnovers and maintained all 17
halftime leads. The Bearcats ranked fourth in the nation in scoring defense
(59.8 ppg.), ninth in scoring margin (+13.1) and 13th in fewest turnovers
(12.1).
In 2001-02 and 2003-04,
Northwest won 29 games, two shy of the program record, and were the first
two Bearcat teams to reach the Elite In 2001-02 and 2003-04, Northwest won
29 games, two shy of the program record, and were the first two Bearcat
teams to reach the Elite Eight. The 2002 team won both the MIAA regular
season and tournament championships. The 2004 squad won the MIAA tournament
and on Jan. 13, earned the first No. 1 ranking in school history. That team
went on to score the most points in school history.
Northwest’s 2005 team made the
most 3-pointers in school history with 268. The 2006 squad won 22 games and
advanced to the Sweet 16.
One of Tappmeyer’s most
impressive feats is the success he’s brought to the fans at Bearcat Arena.
Northwest is 129-15 at home in its last 10 seasons (.896). The Bearcats were
undefeated, 14-0, on their home court a year ago, the same as they were
during the 2002-03 season. The 2002 and 2004 teams were each 14-1.
Tappmeyer was named Kodak Coach
of the Year following his first season at Northwest in 1989. He earned
regional coach of the year honors in 2001.
Tappmeyer is a 1979 graduate of
Southeast Missouri State, where he averaged 16.3 points per game as a junior
and was an honorable mention All-MIAA selection. He was also an honorable
mention all-conference selection at East Central Junior College, which he
attended prior to arriving at Southeast Missouri State.
Tappmeyer served as an assistant
at Northwest from 1981-85 before arriving back at East Central. He was 62-32
in his three seasons as head coach and was named the 1986 MCCAC Coach of the
Year. Twice he guided his team to second-place finishes in the league.
Tappmeyer is a Gerald, Mo.,
native. He and his wife, Lynette, reside in Maryville and have a daughter,
Andrea. |
2007-08
Bearcat Basketball Staff