Hall of Fame
Dr. Tom Meinhardt served in Towson University’s athletics department for 32 years as an administrator and coach. During his career at the university he also served on the faculty in the Physical Education Department. He retired as professor emeritus in 1996 but remained as the tennis coach until 2002.
Dr. Meinhardt came to Towson in 1970 as the university’s sixth director of athletics. He served in that capacity for nine years, guiding the Tigers through their transition from NCAA Division III into a solid Division II program. During his tenure as AD the Tigers emerged on both regional and national scenes. In 1974 the men’s lacrosse team won the College Division National Championship. In 1976 the football team advanced to the Stagg Bowl where the Tigers contended for the Division III National Championship. Over two consecutive seasons in the late 70’s the men’s basketball team compiled an impressive 53-7 record that included a final regular season number one national ranking.
The 1970’s saw a building boom in Towson’s athletic facilities as the Tigers moved from Burdick Hall to the 24-acre complex athletics now occupies. Dr. Meinhardt was involved in the planning of the 5,000-seat Towson Center which opened its doors in 1976 and the 5,000-seat Minnegan Stadium (now Johnny Unitas Stadium) which was dedicated in 1978.
In 1977 Dr. Meinhardt took on the additional responsibility of coaching the men’s tennis team. Over the next 26 years he compiled a 378-239 record. Success was immediate. In his first year the Tigers won the Mason-Dixon Conference title. That would be followed by 19 winning seasons, conference championships in three different leagues, four ECAC South Fall Invitational titles and seven league runner-up finishes.
In 1988 his squad posted a 24-2 record that included an East Coast Conference title. In 1998 his Tigers won the America East crown, earning him his first of two conference Coach of the Year awards. He was selected as Towson’s Coach of the Year twice. He was inducted into Towson’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2003.
A numberl of Dr. Meinhardt’s former players are Towson Hall of Famers too including three-time ECC singles champion Gil Schuerholz, three-time ECC singles champ and school single season record holder with a 31-1 mark, Jim Shepard, plus Mark Holtschneider who was a Towson Academic Achievement Award winner, and Jimmy Rosenfield.
A native of East Cleveland, Ohio he received his bachelor’s degree from Kent State where he was voted the outstanding graduate in the school of Health and Physical Education in 1954. He later earned a Master’s degree from Kent State before completing work for his Ph.D. at the University of Illinois.
Dr. Meinhardt taught and coached in the East Cleveland school system for almost a decade. In 1964 he moved on to the college ranks, directing Northern Illinois’ tennis team against a mix of Big Ten and Missouri Valley Conference opponents.
Over the course of his career Dr. Meinhardt lectured on athletics from coast-to-coast. He was published in various magazines and journals dealing with tennis, basketball and coaching in general. He once conducted a series of tennis coaching clinics in Guadalajara, Mexico at the request of the National Association for Sports and Physical Education.
Dr. Meinhardt passed away February 17, 2017. He was 84-years-old.
