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On this date, 1999
Posted on: April 1, 2022 at 14:01:43 CT
FIJItiger MU
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https://mutigers.com/news/1999/6/21/Norm_Stewart_Resigns_Head_Coaching_Position.aspx
April 1, 1999
Columbia, Mo. - For the first time in 32 years the University of Missouri will have a new men's basketball coach. Norm Stewart today resigned his coaching position, although he will continue to serve the University as "Special Assistant to the Chancellor."
In his new role, he will continue to further the interests of the University by seeking support for its programs - especially athletic facilities projects.
"In the course of our normal end-of-the season evaluations, Coach Stewart felt that it was the right time for him to step down as head coach," Director of Athletics Michael Alden said. "He felt that coming off of a 20-win season that included a return to the NCAA Tournament, and with a roster that includes a large number of good, young players that the program is in shape to continue moving forward with new leadership."
Stewart signed a new contract in October, 1996, that extended his coaching appointment through 2001, and his tenure with the University until 2003.
"Norm Stewart has come a long way from his early days in Shelbyville, Missouri, but he has never lost touch with his roots," MU Chancellor Richard Wallace said. "In keeping with the role of a great land-grant University, Norm has served the people of this state with respect and loyalty for all of his 32 years as head coach of the Tigers and now as the 7th winningest coach in the country. We are very proud of Mizzou's best known ambassador who will continue to serve our University and our state."
One of college basketball's most successful coaches and colorful characters, Stewart, 64, had a Missouri record of 634-333 in 32 seasons. His 38-year career record (includes six seasons at the State College of Iowa, now the University of Northern Iowa) was 731-375, placing him seventh on the NCAA Division I victory. Only two coaches in NCAA history have coached in more games than Stewart's 1,106. At Missouri, Stewart won more games in 32 seasons - 634 - than had been won at the school from 1907-67 - 630.
"I had a much shorter time to work with Coach Stewart than I had anticipated," Alden, who became MU's athletic director last August, said. "You get very few opportunities to work with someone of such national stature as Norm Stewart so to be able to spend even a little time with him is an honor. Having watched the hard work by him, his staff and his players this season that returned the program to its traditional position as one of the nation's best teams, I know that he's left a solid foundation for whomever succeeds him as the University of Missouri's head basketball coach."
Alden said he'll move as quickly as possible in identifying Stewart's successor.
During the 1998-99 season, the Tigers posted a 20-9 record - the 17th time in school history, all under Stewart, that the Tigers have won 20-or-more games. His teams won eight Big Eight Conference championships and six conference tournament titles. He was voted by both the Associated Press and the Kansas City Star as the all-time coach of the Big Eight era (1958-96). Stewart's teams produced 28 first-team all-conference selections, eight first-team all-Americans and 29 NBA draft choices, including nine in the first round.
During Mizzou's 1997-98 season, he recorded both his 600th win at Missouri and his 700th career victory. Stewart is one of 19 coaches in NCAA history to win 600 games, and one of just 17 who've won 500 or more games at one Division I school. Three years ago, he became just the 10th coach in NCAA history to coach in 1,000 games.
He's been involved as a player, assistant or head coach with 1,127 of the 2,151 games that have been played in Missouri basketball history - meaning that he has had a role in more than 50 percent of Mizzou's basketball history.
The 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons could be considered two of the most gratifying campaigns in Stewart's long tenure. First, the 1993-94 Tigers went undefeated through the Big Eight Conference, notching Stewart's eighth conference championship, then went on to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament while posting a 28-4 record. Stewart earned national "coach-of-the-year" honors from six different organizations, including the Associated Press.
The accomplishments of the 1994-95 Tigers may have been even more remarkable. Having lost eight seniors was going to present challenge enough. But before practice even began, Big Eight Freshman-of-the-Year Kelly Thames was lost for the season with a knee injury. But with a cast of newcomers, Stewart produced another 20-game winner, took another club to the NCAA Tournament, and came with an eyelash - 4.8 seconds - of upsetting eventual national champion UCLA in the event's second round, in Boise, Idaho.
The dean of Big 12 Conference basketball coaches, Norm Stewart won more Big Eight Conference games - 246 - and conference tournament titles - six - than any coach in league history. His eight league championships are tied with former Kansas State coach Tex Winter for second in Big Eight history behind Kansas' Phog Allen (24). Only Allen (39 years) and Oklahoma State's Henry Iba (36) coached more years at a Big Eight or Big 12 school than Stewart. And, while Stewart coached the Tigers, 36 head coaches came and went at the other former Big Eight Conference schools.
Stewart played collegiate basketball at Missouri and was captain of Coach Wilbur "Sparky" Stalcup's teams as a junior and senior. He led the Big Seven Conference in scoring in 1955-56 with a 24.1-point average and was named a Helms Foundation all-American. During his career, Stewart tallied 1,124 points, which ranks him 22nd in MU's 31-member 1000-point club. Of those 31 Tigers, 25 played for Stewart.
Stewart was also a member of the Tiger baseball team and pitched for Coach John "Hi" Simmons on the Missouri team that won the 1954 NCAA Championship.
After earning his bachelor's degree, he signed contracts with the St. Louis Hawks in basketball and with the Baltimore Orioles in baseball. He spent one season with the Hawks and a year in the Orioles minor league system. Stewart returned to Mizzou as an assistant basketball and baseball coach and earned his master's degree in 1960.
In 1961, Stewart was named head coach at Northern Iowa (then called State College of Iowa). His first team fashioned a 19-5 mark and was the North Central Conference co-champion. The 1963-64 team won the conference crown and finished fourth in the NCAA college-division championships. His six Northern Iowa teams posted a 97-42 record. Interestingly, one of his players there was James Waller, the acclaimed author of The Bridges of Madison County.
When MU Athletic Director Dan Devine went looking for a coach in 1967 to revive the sagging Tiger fortunes, he found Stewart. Returning to his alma mater, he was faced with rebuilding a program that had won only six of 49 games the two previous seasons.
After a 10-16 record in his first season, Stewart returned the Tigers to their winning ways. They recorded six straight winning seasons and became a dominant team in the Big Eight. During his tenure, the Tigers won eight league championships and posted the only 17 20-victory seasons in school history. Since the Tigers first won 20 games in 1971-72, they've averaged 21 victories per season.
Stewart earned district "Coach of the Year" honors seven times, was Big Eight "Coach of the Year" five times, and was named UPI national "Coach of the Year" in 1982, in addition to his 1993-94 national coaching accolades. He's a member of the Missouri Basketball Hall of Fame, a charter member of the University of Missouri Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame, and a member of the State of Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.
Active in charitable pursuits, Stewart has spearheaded a special program - "Three-Point Attack ... Norm's Special Challenge" for the American Cancer Society the last five years. After a trial run in Missouri in 1993-94, the program was expanded nationwide the next season as part of the National Basketball Coaches Association "Coaches vs. Cancer" efforts. More than 100 schools participated. Because of his efforts, he was honored in spring '94, at the White House by President Bill Clinton, who presented him with the American Cancer Society's "Courage Award."
April 1, 1999
Columbia, Mo. - For the first time in 32 years the University of Missouri will have a new men's basketball coach. Norm Stewart today resigned his coaching position, although he will continue to serve the University as "Special Assistant to the Chancellor."
In his new role, he will continue to further the interests of the University by seeking support for its programs - especially athletic facilities projects.
"In the course of our normal end-of-the season evaluations, Coach Stewart felt that it was the right time for him to step down as head coach," Director of Athletics Michael Alden said. "He felt that coming off of a 20-win season that included a return to the NCAA Tournament, and with a roster that includes a large number of good, young players that the program is in shape to continue moving forward with new leadership."
Stewart signed a new contract in October, 1996, that extended his coaching appointment through 2001, and his tenure with the University until 2003.
"Norm Stewart has come a long way from his early days in Shelbyville, Missouri, but he has never lost touch with his roots," MU Chancellor Richard Wallace said. "In keeping with the role of a great land-grant University, Norm has served the people of this state with respect and loyalty for all of his 32 years as head coach of the Tigers and now as the 7th winningest coach in the country. We are very proud of Mizzou's best known ambassador who will continue to serve our University and our state."
One of college basketball's most successful coaches and colorful characters, Stewart, 64, had a Missouri record of 634-333 in 32 seasons. His 38-year career record (includes six seasons at the State College of Iowa, now the University of Northern Iowa) was 731-375, placing him seventh on the NCAA Division I victory. Only two coaches in NCAA history have coached in more games than Stewart's 1,106. At Missouri, Stewart won more games in 32 seasons - 634 - than had been won at the school from 1907-67 - 630.
"I had a much shorter time to work with Coach Stewart than I had anticipated," Alden, who became MU's athletic director last August, said. "You get very few opportunities to work with someone of such national stature as Norm Stewart so to be able to spend even a little time with him is an honor. Having watched the hard work by him, his staff and his players this season that returned the program to its traditional position as one of the nation's best teams, I know that he's left a solid foundation for whomever succeeds him as the University of Missouri's head basketball coach."
Alden said he'll move as quickly as possible in identifying Stewart's successor.
During the 1998-99 season, the Tigers posted a 20-9 record - the 17th time in school history, all under Stewart, that the Tigers have won 20-or-more games. His teams won eight Big Eight Conference championships and six conference tournament titles. He was voted by both the Associated Press and the Kansas City Star as the all-time coach of the Big Eight era (1958-96). Stewart's teams produced 28 first-team all-conference selections, eight first-team all-Americans and 29 NBA draft choices, including nine in the first round.
During Mizzou's 1997-98 season, he recorded both his 600th win at Missouri and his 700th career victory. Stewart is one of 19 coaches in NCAA history to win 600 games, and one of just 17 who've won 500 or more games at one Division I school. Three years ago, he became just the 10th coach in NCAA history to coach in 1,000 games.
He's been involved as a player, assistant or head coach with 1,127 of the 2,151 games that have been played in Missouri basketball history - meaning that he has had a role in more than 50 percent of Mizzou's basketball history.
The 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons could be considered two of the most gratifying campaigns in Stewart's long tenure. First, the 1993-94 Tigers went undefeated through the Big Eight Conference, notching Stewart's eighth conference championship, then went on to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament while posting a 28-4 record. Stewart earned national "coach-of-the-year" honors from six different organizations, including the Associated Press.
The accomplishments of the 1994-95 Tigers may have been even more remarkable. Having lost eight seniors was going to present challenge enough. But before practice even began, Big Eight Freshman-of-the-Year Kelly Thames was lost for the season with a knee injury. But with a cast of newcomers, Stewart produced another 20-game winner, took another club to the NCAA Tournament, and came with an eyelash - 4.8 seconds - of upsetting eventual national champion UCLA in the event's second round, in Boise, Idaho.
The dean of Big 12 Conference basketball coaches, Norm Stewart won more Big Eight Conference games - 246 - and conference tournament titles - six - than any coach in league history. His eight league championships are tied with former Kansas State coach Tex Winter for second in Big Eight history behind Kansas' Phog Allen (24). Only Allen (39 years) and Oklahoma State's Henry Iba (36) coached more years at a Big Eight or Big 12 school than Stewart. And, while Stewart coached the Tigers, 36 head coaches came and went at the other former Big Eight Conference schools.
Stewart played collegiate basketball at Missouri and was captain of Coach Wilbur "Sparky" Stalcup's teams as a junior and senior. He led the Big Seven Conference in scoring in 1955-56 with a 24.1-point average and was named a Helms Foundation all-American. During his career, Stewart tallied 1,124 points, which ranks him 22nd in MU's 31-member 1000-point club. Of those 31 Tigers, 25 played for Stewart.
Stewart was also a member of the Tiger baseball team and pitched for Coach John "Hi" Simmons on the Missouri team that won the 1954 NCAA Championship.
After earning his bachelor's degree, he signed contracts with the St. Louis Hawks in basketball and with the Baltimore Orioles in baseball. He spent one season with the Hawks and a year in the Orioles minor league system. Stewart returned to Mizzou as an assistant basketball and baseball coach and earned his master's degree in 1960.
In 1961, Stewart was named head coach at Northern Iowa (then called State College of Iowa). His first team fashioned a 19-5 mark and was the North Central Conference co-champion. The 1963-64 team won the conference crown and finished fourth in the NCAA college-division championships. His six Northern Iowa teams posted a 97-42 record. Interestingly, one of his players there was James Waller, the acclaimed author of The Bridges of Madison County.
When MU Athletic Director Dan Devine went looking for a coach in 1967 to revive the sagging Tiger fortunes, he found Stewart. Returning to his alma mater, he was faced with rebuilding a program that had won only six of 49 games the two previous seasons.
After a 10-16 record in his first season, Stewart returned the Tigers to their winning ways. They recorded six straight winning seasons and became a dominant team in the Big Eight. During his tenure, the Tigers won eight league championships and posted the only 17 20-victory seasons in school history. Since the Tigers first won 20 games in 1971-72, they've averaged 21 victories per season.
Stewart earned district "Coach of the Year" honors seven times, was Big Eight "Coach of the Year" five times, and was named UPI national "Coach of the Year" in 1982, in addition to his 1993-94 national coaching accolades. He's a member of the Missouri Basketball Hall of Fame, a charter member of the University of Missouri Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame, and a member of the State of Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.
Active in charitable pursuits, Stewart has spearheaded a special program - "Three-Point Attack ... Norm's Special Challenge" for the American Cancer Society the last five years. After a trial run in Missouri in 1993-94, the program was expanded nationwide the next season as part of the National Basketball Coaches Association "Coaches vs. Cancer" efforts. More than 100 schools participated. Because of his efforts, he was honored in spring '94, at the White House by President Bill Clinton, who presented him with the American Cancer Society's "Courage Award."
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On this date, 1999 - FIJItiger MU - 4/1 14:01:43