Minnesota-Morris
Basil Meyer, a native of Nevis, Minn., was born on Oct. 19, 1964. He attended the University of Minnesota-Morris from 1983-88, earning three different degrees: Computer Science, Business-Economics and Economics. Meyer, an outstanding three-sport athlete at UMM, helped the Cougar football team to the 1984 NIC co-championship (5-1 NIC) and the 1986 NIC championship (5-0-1 NIC, 7-1-2 overall). During his senior campaign (1986), he was selected to the NAIA All-America Football Team at the tight end position. That season, he was also named all-conference and NAIA All-District 13. Meyer also competed with resolve in basketball (83-84, 85-88) and baseball (1984-87) while at UMM. In basketball, he developed a reputation as a hard-nosed rebounder and defender. On the diamond, he was named to the all-conference baseball team as a pitcher three times (85, 86 and 87), earning NAIA All-District 13 First Team honors his senior season. Following his collegiate career, Meyer signed as a free agent with the Minnesota Twins in 1987. He pitched in the Twins minor league system for four years (1987-91), advancing to the AA level before being released at the end of Spring Training in 1991. The highlight of Meyer’s professional baseball career was in 1989 when he led the Twins minor league system in saves. His pro stops included Elizabethton, Tenn. (Rookie), Kenosha, Wis. (A), Visalia, Calif. (A) and Orlando, Fla. (AA). Meyer also played in the Twins’ Fall Instructional League in 1988 and 1989 in West Palm Beach, Fla. Meyer remained active at UMM after graduation, working as an Admissions Counselor from Oct. 1990 to Feb. 1991, recruiting prospective students throughout Minnesota and the Dakotas. Then following his professional baseball career, he was a receivers coach for football in 1991 and a pitching coach for baseball in 1992. Meyer was inducted into the UMM Athletic Hall of Fame in 1997. He is currently employed as a Software Engineer for Kroll Ontrack in Eden Prairie, Minn. Meyer lives in Apple Valley, Minn. with his wife, Karen, and their two daughters, Mae (3) and Emma (1).