MARSHALL, Minn. - An anniversary reunion celebrating 40 years of Southwest Minnesota State University wheelchair basketball will be held on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 30 and 31, on the campus of SMSU.

“It's our 40th year of wheelchair basketball and this is a first step of developing an annual reunion of our players, so we can get our alumni active again,” said wheelchair coach Lew Shaver, the first coach in the program's history.

The Mustang wheelchair team will take on the Junior Timberwolves, representing the Courage Center in the Twin Cities, at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Oct. 30 in the PE Gym.

Former players will then attend the Mustang football game versus Winona State at 4:30 p.m. A reception for players and those associated with the program will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the Conference Center.

On Sunday, Oct. 31, the Mustangs will take on the Timberwolves in the PE Gym. “Most of the players on that adult Timberwolves team will be our alumni,” said Shaver. “The Junior Timberwolves are players that are high school aged,” he said.

A trio of SMSU current players — Kyle Timmerman, Josh Scanlon and Rob Wilhelm — formerly played for the Junior Timberwolves.

The SMSU alumni will then play a game at noon on Oct. 31.

“I'm not sure how many are going to be there,” said Shaver, who has worked with Alumni Director Tyler Bowen to organize the event. “The invites have gone out, and we invite all former players and those with an interest in the program to attend.”

Shaver was the first coach in the program's history. He was approached in the hallway by former players John Schatzlein and Curt Kettner. “They had played wheelchair basketball prior to coming to Southwest, and they wanted to continue,” he said.

Shaver retired as coach in 1995, but has returned in several capacities — assistant coach, co-head coach and head coach.
The Mustangs have won national championships in 1981, 1983 and 1986.