Basketball - M | 5/14/2016 11:31:00 PM

BURNABY, BC – Mike McNeill, a star guard for Simon Fraser University in the 1970s who later coached both the Clan men's and women's basketball programs, was inducted into the Basketball BC Hall of Fame at a gala event Saturday evening at the Hilton Vancouver Airport Hotel.
 
The ex-North Delta high school all-star, Vancouver Community College and Clan guard carved out a lifelong coaching career with roots that began at Simon Fraser with the men's program. After finishing his playing career as the school's record holder for assists in a game (13) and season (153), McNeill served one season as an assistant with SFU Hall of Fame head coach and mentor Stan Stewardson in 1978 before becoming the Clan's head coach.
 
In 1980-81 and 1981-82, his second and third years coaching the Clan, McNeill led SFU to 17- and 19-win seasons. Among the players McNeill coached early in his SFU coaching career were Canadian Olympians Jay Triano and Al Kristmanson.
 
McNeill went on to coach the Clan women's program alongside his wife, Allison, when the team dominated opponents in the NAIA. Mike spent six years as an assistant with Allison when the SFU women regularly posted 30 win seasons and advanced to the NAIA national championship tournament.
 
McNeill later coached with the Canadian women's national team which earned a berth in the London Olympics in 2012, finishing 8th after defeating both Brazil and host England. 
 
McNeill touched thousands of athletes through the 100's of clinics he conducted each year and his individual work with dozens of high performance BC athletes who continued on to play collegiately. McNeill was instrumental in creating the Centre for Performance and Regional Training Camps.
 
McNeill was inducted into the Basketball BC Hall of Fame in the Builder's category on Saturday. His wife, Allison, made the presentation on stage.
 
--@SFUClan--