The Little School Under the "L"

Ray Meyer

Location:  3rd row of pillars north of Belden. 

Installed:  Aug. 2016

​

       To many of us at DePaul, Ray Meyer is Basketball at DePaul. He was an innovator as well as competitor. In total, Meyer recorded 37 winning seasons and twelve 20-win seasons, including seven straight from 1978 to 1984. Two Meyer-coached teams reached the Final Four (1943 and 1979), and in 1945, Meyer led DePaul past Bowling Green to capture the National Invitation Tournament, then considered the national championship  One of his best players was George Mikan, who was a game-changing player and basketball's first great "big man". Meyer recruited Mikan from Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary, a school Meyer had himself earlier attended.  Mayer attracted great players like Mark Aguirre and Terry Cummings by the end of his career. (Both went on to play in the N.B.A.

         Meyer was well respected among his peers in the coaching ranks and revered in Chicago. He was voted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1979, and the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006. He coached the Mens basketball​ team at DePaul from 1942 till 1984. Many of his contracts with the university were sealed only with a handshake, as he had a great respect for the Vincentian community that lead DePaul. 

        The design of his pillar does features his portrait, and many photos from the yearbooks from the day. All of the photos making up ‘Meyer’ in a vertical construction. All set on a pebble-grain basketball background.