William "Bird" Nietmann

"What I value the most about my Principia athletic experience are the coaches and teammates I had over the years. . ."

During the 1971 basketball season, Bird scored a record 736 points. By the end of his final season, he'd set another record with 2,033 career points. Twice an NAIA All-American and three times an NAIA All-District honoree, Bird was voted MVP in the first Illinois State post-season all-star game. He also received the 1972 Howard L. Mitchell Athletic Award.