Don Glover Inducted Into Minnesota High School Cross Country Coaches Hall of Fame

Aug. 16, 2005

Don Glover has been inducted into the Minnesota High School Cross Country Hall of Fame. He is entering his sixth year as men’s and women’s cross country coach at UW-River Falls.

Glover, whose teams won nine conference championships during his 28 seasons as a head coach in the White Bear Lake school district, is one of two 2005 inductees into the Hall of Fame. Glover started the boys cross country program at Winona in 1968 before taking over at White Bear Mariner in 1972. In 1982, when Mariner merged with White Bear High School, he became the Bears' coach.

In 2002, the Falcon women's cross country team placed fifth in the WIAC standings. It was the team's best finish in Glover's five year career with the Falcons. The 2001 Falcon cross country teams had their most successful seasons in years. After competing at the WIAC meet, the women's team advanced to the NCAA Div. III Midwest Regional where they placed seventh overall. The women were sixth in the WIAC meet.

In 2000 the Falcon men's team placed ninth and the women's team finished seventh. Both teams received some extra valuable competition by running in the 2000 NCAA Midwest Regional Championships.

Glover was the Concordia, Minn., University men’s and women’s track and field coach during the 2000 season where he coached the school’s first track All-American. Before coaching at Concordia, Glover coached in the White Bear Lake, Minn., school system for several years before retiring in 1999. He began his high school track coaching at White Bear Lake in 1969. In 1972 he was named the head track coach at Mariner High School in White Bear Lake and helped lead that team to the State Championship in 1975. In 1982 when Mariner and White Bear Lake High Schools were combined, he became the head cross country coach and assistant head track coach. Glover also taught and coached in the Winona, Minn., School system from 1967-69.

From 1984-99 Glover’s cross country teams reached the Minnesota State Meet 13 times out of a tough Region 4AA. The Bears were ranked in the state’s Top 10 in 20 of his 30 year career. His teams brought home trophies five times during his tenure. Several of Glover’s high school runners continued their success at the collegiate level by being named All-Americans. One was a Big 10 Conference champion.

Glover was named the Minnesota Teacher of the Year in 1981 and the Minnesota Adapted Physical Education Teacher of the Year in 1989. He was the president of the MAHPERD in 1996. He has written three books: Teambuilding Through Physical Challenge; More Teambuilding Challenges and Cooperation – Competition Making the Link. He has also had several articles published in The Athletic Journal, the national magazine for coaches.

He earned his undergraduate degree in physical education and elementary education from Winona, Minn., State in 1967. He earned his master’s degree in physical education from Winona in 1971. His daughter, Leigh, earned her undergraduate degree from UW-River Falls and competed with the Falcon women’s basketball team for four seasons (1987-91). She was twice named to the first All-WIAC team and once received honorable mention as the Falcons won two WIAC championships (1988, 1989).

Don Glover


The Glover File