Athletic Hall of Fame
The 1961-62 Concordia Men’s Basketball team earned the first of back-to-back invitations to the NCAA College Division Tournament, a first in school history.
The 1961-62 team put together a 12-game winning streak during the season and entered the tournament in Valparaiso, IN with a 19-3 record. The Cougars won the first game decisively, 79-61 over Illinois State University, but lost the regional title 75-72 to host Valparaiso University. The final record (20-4) marked the first time in school history the Cougars reached the 20-win plateau.
Don Spitz coached the Cougars in both tournament appearances, part of a 73-43 (.629) five-year record at Concordia. The squad was among the nation’s leaders in team defense, allowing just 59.3 points in 1961-62.
