Induction Video
(Written: July 2018)
Dave “Augie” Vander Meulen served as UW-Whitewater’s men’s basketball coach from 1979-2001, accumulating a 440-182 record (.707 winning percentage) and leading the Warhawks to NCAA Division III championships in 1984 and 1989, as well as four conference titles. The 1984 national championship was the first team national title in school history. His 440 victories rank second on the conference’s all-time list. Vander Meulen was the National Association of Basketball Coaches NCAA Division III Coach of the Year in 1984 and 1989, as well as a five-time regional Coach of the Year and five-time conference Coach of the Year. His teams made 12 NCAA Division III appearances and compiled a 241-127 record in conference games. While he was coach, student-athletes earned a total of 63 all-conference honors, 25 all-region awards and 25 All-America accolades.
In 2013, Vander Meulen received the NABC Division III Outstanding Service Award. The basketball court in Kachel Gymnasium bestows his name – “Dave ‘Augie’ Vander Meulen Court”. He was inducted into the UW-Whitewater Hall of Fame in 2006 and is a member of the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association, Madison (Wis.) Sports, Rhinelander (Wis.) and Madison (Wis.) East High School halls of fame.
Vander Meulen earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in physical education from UW-Madison. He resides in Madison, Wis.