Upper Iowa University Athletics Hall of Fame
Don Lyons, class of 1982, was inducted into the Upper Iowa Athletic Hall of Fame in the Athlete Category. He was a three-year letterman in baseball as a shortstop and outfielder in 1977, 1978 and 1979. He also lettered in football in 1976, 1977 and 1978 at halfback. He was named the Peacock MVP in football in 1977 and in baseball in 1979.
Lyons was named an All-IIAC First Team Selection at shortstop in 1978 and in 1979 he won the same honor in the outfield. In the 1978 season, Lyons finished with an overall batting average of .450 – 17th in the nation in NCAA Division III and a conference average of .420. He hit .390 during his senior year. As a football player, he averaged 20 carries a game during the Eischeid/Caryl coaching tenure.
Following graduation, Lyons started his coaching and teaching career at Lytton Community School as Baseball and Girls’ Basketball Coach, along with football and goal in 1983. Since 1988, he has served at Denison, Iowa as the Girls’ Basketball and Baseball Coach with an outstanding coaching record, highlighted by the 1994 State Championship in baseball. His girls’ basketball program has been to the State Tournament four times, while finishing second in the state in Class 4A competition in 1998 and earning District or Substate Championships six times.
His coaching records number many: 300-win club in baseball, Class 4A IBCA State Coach of the Year in basketball, Siouxland Coach of the Year (Sioux City Journal) and Northwest Iowa coach of the Year (Omaha World Herald) in 1998, along with District and Conference honors.
A graduate and outstanding athlete of Maquoketa High School, Lyons earned his bachelor of science degree in physical education and health from Upper Iowa and is presently teaching elementary physical education at Denison Community School.
Don and his wife, Jayne, reside in Denison, Iowa and are the parents of a son, Robert.
