Coyote Chatter
Where Are They Now?
Tom Berg
USD Sports Information Coordinator |
Mike Lee (USD Football, 1974-77)
It’s been more than three decades since Mike Lee’s football career ended at The University of South Dakota, but the memories of his time here are still fresh in his mind.
Lee was an offensive guard on the football team at USD from 1974-77 and graduated from the U in 1978. He came to USD in 1974, playing his first season under future Coyote Sports Hall of Famer Joe Salem.
“It was just a bunch of great players,” Lee recalled. “We had a great group.”
He remembers the Coyotes playing the likes of Wyoming, Montana, Wisconsin and UNLV.
“Back then, we had a pretty good schedule,” said Lee, who works in industry chemistry in Knoxville, Tenn., where he has lived since 1988.
Lee earned All-North Central Conference honors in 1977. He played the final three years of his career under Beanie Cooper, another Coyote Sports Hall of Famer.
More than 30 years after graduating from USD, Lee still bleeds Coyote red – as his car’s license plate indicates. It reads, “OldYote.”
Lee is part of a group called “The Old Yote Group,” which includes several former Coyote players. That group came back for homecoming in 2003, and also attended USD’s 63-0 win over North Greenville (S.C.) in 2008. The group plans to attend the Coyotes’ game at the University of Minnesota in 2010.
“We stay pretty tight,” Lee said.
Lee said he originally came to USD on a track scholarship and actually competed in track for his freshman and junior years.
Lee also is still active in athletics. He competes in the Senior Olympics, and two years ago, competed at the nationals. He finished seventh in the discus and eighth in the shot put. He also qualified for the nationals this year but has decided not to compete.
One thing is clear about Lee – he is still a Coyote, three decades after he left USD.
“The university has been a real blessing for a lot of graduates,” he said. “I had such a great group of teammates that I still stay in contact with.”
Media Notes:
USD football coach Ed Meierkort was the featured guest on the Argus Leader’s Sports Web Live with Stu Whitney and Mick Garry on Tuesday, July 28.
Matt Houk and the USD volleyball team are included in the University of Wisconsin’s volleyball schedule release. http://www.uwbadgers.com/mobile/mobile_story.aspx?sportid=133&storyID=17618
About Coyote Chatter
Coyote Chatter is the sports information blog put together by USD sports information coordinator Tom Berg. This will be updated periodically, and in the weeks ahead, will also include a feature called, “Where Are They Now?” If you have any submissions for updates on former athletes, coaches, etc., for this feature, please email tom.berg@usd.edu. We will also provide short tidbits on other former Coyotes.
Blog Archive
