Mike Dreier becomes first MN girls hoops coach to 1,000 wins
New London-Spicer's Mike Dreier became the first prep girls basketball coach in Minnesota history to reach 1,000 wins with a 60-36 victory over Watertown-Mayer on Friday night.
Dreier is in his 44th season as the head coach of the Wildcats and owns a career record of 1,000-185 (.844 winning percentage). But his impressive record is part of a milestone few reach at the high school level.
Chisholm boys basketball coach Bob McDonald is the only other prep coach in Minnesota history to reach the milestone with 1,012 wins in 59 seasons. Nationally, only 15 girls' high school basketball coaches have reached 1,000 wins.
That has earned Dreier national recognition as the National High School Basketball Coaches Association named him the recipient of the inaugural John Wooden Legacy Award earlier this year.
The honor recognizes basketball coaches around the country who “are educators and have achieved excellence on the floor, in the classroom and in the community that further embody the characteristics and legacy of former UCLA men's basketball coach John Wooden.
It's a track record of success that has led the Wildcats to the state tournament 19 times during his tenure. That number is the most by any high school basketball coach in the state of Minnesota. The Wildcats have a chance to add to that number this season, owning a 15-2 record and ranking seventh in the latest Class 2A rankings.
