VINCENNES, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — Vincennes University’s Athletic Director and Hall of Fame Women’s Basketball Coach Harry Meeks has announced his retirement after 33 years of service to the university.
According to a release from VU, Meeks is set to retire in June. The announcement came from Meeks himself at the VU Trailblazer All Sports Banquet with many in the VU community celebrating his career at the event.
Vincennes University’s Hall of Fame Men’s Basketball Coach Todd Franklin commented on Meeks’ long career in the field of athletics.
“Everyone needs to give this some real thought and perspective,” Franklin said. “He’s an 82-year-old man who has been running the Athletics Department and has been the Women’s Basketball Coach. A lot of our young athletes might want to think about how to aspire to do that. At 82 years old, he has spent his entire life in this, and that is an impressive thing to do.”
Meeks was the university’s fourth director, having taken the role of VU Women’s Basketball Coach in 1991 and the role of athletic director in 2010. Meeks’ record makes him the most successful coach in the program’s history, averaging a 72.6% winning percentage, with a record of 750 wins and 263 losses. During Meeks’ time at Vincennes University, his role has led to state and national recognition.
Vincennes University President Chuck Johnson commented on Meeks’ influence on the lives of many in the community.
“In Harry Meeks, Vincennes University has not just had a coach or an athletic director, but a true leader whose fervent dedication has been the bedrock of the VU Athletics Department,” Meeks began. “His steady hands have guided our athletics programs and shaped the lives of countless VU student-athletes, VU coaches, VU alumni, and the broader University Community. It has been an honor and a privilege to work alongside Coach Meeks, witnessing firsthand the enormous impact he has made locally as well throughout the State of Indiana and nationally,” he added.
Meeks’ career in athletics went beyond Women’s Basketball and included contributing to the success of the 2019 Men’s Basketball, 2011 Tennis, 2013, 2016, and 2018 Men’s Golf, and 2010, 2012, and 2014 Bowling teams along with multiple individual Track and Field program championships.
“His legacy at Vincennes University is one of excellence, integrity, and distinction in the classroom as well as on the court or field of competition,” President Johnson said. “As we celebrate his retirement, Vincennes University does so with immense gratitude for his tireless efforts, unending passion, and the enduring legacy he leaves behind at VU. His impact on Vincennes University will be felt for generations to come.”
Meeks’ influence and strict expectation of academic prioritization helped to inspire many people, including Dr. Christy Kellams, an orthopedic surgeon and former VU women’s basketball player.
After working with Meeks, Kellams’ athletic performance improved and she earned a full-ride scholarship to Arizona State University.
“In the two years, I was at Vincennes we won over 65 basketball games and we maybe lost five or six,” Kellams said. “It is impressive the amount of games that we won but his lessons have lived on long after those games were won. His dedication and direction to me as a student-athlete taught me about commitment and perseverance, and he inspired me to always do my best no matter what I was doing, whether that be on or off the court. It has been said the height of a tree is determined by the depth of its roots. I want to say thank you to him for being a part of my roots. That has helped me grow tall as a person. I’ve used all those skills that he taught me and was able to go on to achieve that next aspiration. I will always be grateful to him and his late wife, Martha Meeks, for the impact they’ve had on my life, and I will carry and treasure those things forever.”
