Mike Beitzel will also coach one of the Division III men's basketball All-Star teams in Salem later this month. Hanover athletics file photo

The National Association of Basketball Coaches will present its 14th annual Outstanding Service Award at the Division III meeting of this year’s NABC Convention in Indianapolis on April 3, 2010. The award has been presented annually since 1997 and is given to coaches whose actions “inside and outside the lines” of coaching have distinguished them as valuable members of their communities  Two coaches will be recognized at the convention. This year’s honorees are Mike Beitzel, recently retired coach at Hanover and Bill Leatherman, recently retired coach at Bridgewater (Va.). 

Beitzel began his collegiate basketball career as a four-year player at Wooster. He ended his career after 20 years at the helm at Hanover, guiding the Panthers to a 370-181 record. Beitzel guided Hanover to six conference championships, including five consecutive titles. His squads earned five berths in the NCAA Tournament. Beitzel was honored as the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference coach of the year five times and he was also honored as the National Association of Basketball Coaches Midwest District coach of the year three times. 

Beitzel was also extremely active in the Lide White Boys and Girls Club of Madison. He also founded the Courtside Club which was very active in the campus community involving speakers and special events. Mike and his wife LuAnn have two grown daughters, Emily and Michelle and currently reside in Mission, Texas.

Leatherman completed his 23-year head coaching career with the most wins in Bridgewater men’s basketball history. Hefinished his career at Bridgewater with a 335-262 record. During his tenure, the Eagles earned three NCAA tournament berths, two conference regular season titles, and one Old Dominion Athletic Conference tournament championship. Leatherman was also named ODAC Coach of the Year three times and was NABC South Region Coach of the Year four times.

In 2006 Leatherman was honored with the National Association of Basketball Coaches Guardians Award for Advocacy, one of the top honors a college coach can receive. Bill and his wife Nancy have a son Jeff and daughter Kristen and currently reside in High Point, N.C.

Also being presented his award this year in Indianapolis is 2009 recipient Jim Smith of St. John's. Jim was unable to attend last year’s award presentation due to a serious leg injury occurring just prior to the convention in Detroit.