Stan Sheriff (1986) - Hall of Fame

Stan Sheriff

Induction:
1986

Stan Sheriff
Coach/Administrator

Stan Sheriff saw the institution change in scope from the Iowa State Teachers College, to the State College of Iowa and to the University of Northern Iowa.

Bruce Stanley Sheriff first arrived on campus in 1958 as first assistant football coach and was named head coach two years later. In his 23-year tenure, he won four North Central Conference and two Mid-Continent Conference titles. His teams also played in three postseason games, winning the Pecan Bowl in 1964. He produced 98 all-conference and eight first team Little All-America players. Sheriff assumed the additional role of athletic director in 1970, directing a very potent 22-sport program at the Division II level. He was instrumental in the move to Division I-AA in football and Division I in all other sports. He also was deeply involved in the development of three new conferences - the Mid-Continent and Association of Mid-Continent Universities for men and the Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference for women. He also is known for his untiring effort in getting the UNI-Dome constructed. After leaving UNI, he became director of athletics at the University of Hawaii.

Sheriff's knowledge of football and athletics did not stop at the university level. He served a nine-year term on the NCAA Football Rules Committee and has served on the American Football Association Committees involving conventions and public relations; as well as the prestigious NCAA Television Committee which negotiated a multi-million dollar contract with ABC Television. Sheriff grew up in Hawaii and California and was a collegiate star at Cal Poly- San Luis Obispo where he was a Little All-American. He played professional ball for three seasons.