When you think of a college athlete, you think of someone in their late teens or early 20’s preparing for the rest of their life. Well, there is one person defying that statistic this spring. Don Byers, a 61-year-old, husband and grandfather, is competing for Bellevue University in Bellevue, Neb. as a freshman golfer.
The university falls under the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, or the NAIA. With this athletic governing body, there is no age limit to play collegiate sports like the NCAA.
Byers, an insurance broker who founded Byers Insurance Agency, never received his Bachelor’s degree and wanted to go back to school to accomplish that. He was recruited by the head coach of men’s golf at Bellevue, Rob Brown.
“I just see a great golfer and outstanding athlete,” Brown said in an article released by the university. “He knows the game, has incredible hitting power and shows finesse on the green. We’re fortunate to have recruited him.”
Although there are no official records, Byers is believed to be one of the oldest student-athletes in collegiate sports history. He is among other historic collegiate athletes including a 61-year-old field kicker for Faulkner University, a 43-year-old basketball player for Geneva College and a 49-year-old swimmer for Pepperdine University.
Byers will begin competing with the seven-man golf team beginning this spring as the sole freshman. He is joining a line-up of golfers from Mexico, Argentina, Colombia and Nebraska.
