Career
With 702 victories, Sauers is among the top 40 winningest colleges coaches in National Collegiate Athletic Association history. Sauers came to what was then New York State College for Teachers in 1955, and was on hand for its eventual evolution into UAlbany. He garnered eleven National Collegiate Athletic Association and four National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics post-season tournament appearances.
During his tenure, the basketball program moved from the National Collegiate Athletic Association"s College Division, to Division III, and then to Division II, while the nickname was changed from the Pedagogues to the Great Danes.
From 1975 to 1995, the Great Danes qualified for 10 National Collegiate Athletic Association tournaments. In 1993-1994, UAlbany established a school record for victories with a 25-3 mark, and reached the Division III East Sectional final.
He was named the 1985 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III after Albany went 22-6 and gained a national tournament berth. Sauers was inducted into the New York State Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992.
He has also been enshrined by Slippery Rock University and the Capital District Sports Hall of Fame.
Sauers finished his career with a 702-330 record in 41 seasons. At the time, Sauers was one of two active coaches with more than 40-plus seasons at the same school. He became the 15th person to coach his 1,000th game at the collegiate level in February 1996.
Soon after retiring as basketball coach, Sauers became coach of the women"s golf team, leading it through its transition to Division I. He"d also served as men"s golf coach from 1962 to 1973 and as head baseball coach in 1958 and 1959.
He retired in 2013 after spending 58 years at UAlbany.
