UNI Announces 2015 Athletics Hall of Fame Class

The University of Northern Iowa Department of Athletics will induct seven individuals and the 1960 Panther football team into its 2015 Athletics Hall of Fame Class.

This year's Hall of Fame class includes Jason Daisy, Greg McDermott, Jody (Dean) McKowen, Nic Ungs, Shannon (Perry) Wieland and David Kohrs (Dr. Jitu D. Kothari Meritorious Service Award) along with Josh Mahoney (inaugural Merlin Taylor Academic Hall of Fame Award).

The seven individuals and will team will be inducted in a ceremony on Sat., Sept. 12. The ceremony will take place in the McLeod Center on Saturday morning. Later that day, the UNI football team will play its home opener of the 2015 season against Eastern Wahington in the UNI-Dome.

To RSVP for the UNI Athletics Hall of Fame ceremony, call the UNI athletics office at 319-273-2470.

Jason Daisy – Men's Basketball (1992-1997)
Jason Daisy ranks No. 4 on UNI's all-time scoring list with 1,721 points. He was named the 1997 MVC Player of the Year after leading the league in scoring. He also led the MVC in 3-point field goal percentage (.400), free throw percentage (.796) and steals (1.8 per game). He was a first-team all-MVC selection in 1996 and 1997. He was UNI's first NABC All-District pick (second team) in 1997. Daisy earned USBWA first-team all-district honors. Daisy finished No. 18 in the nation in scoring as a junior at 22.3 points per game. Daisy then ranked No. 21 in the nation in scoring as a senior at 21.2 points per contest. He poured in a career-high 37 points in a 93-88 overtime win over Illinois State, Jan. 22, 1997, in the UNI-Dome. He completed his collegiate career by taking part in the East-West All-Star game at the 1997 Final Four. Daisy is from Minneapolis, Minn., and attended Minneapolis South High School. He is currently coaching basketball at Minneapolis Roosevelt High School. Daisy has two children, Kayla and Jayden.

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Greg McDermott (played at UNI from 1984-1988; head coach at UNI from 2001-2006)
Head Coach Greg McDermott led the UNI men's basketball team to three straight NCAA Tournament appearances in 2004, 2005 and 2006. UNI won the 2004 Missouri Valley Tournament to earn the program's second NCAA appearance in school history. He then led the Panthers to at-large selections (first in school history) into the 2005 and 2006 NCAA tournaments. McDermott was a 1,000-point scorer at UNI from 1984-1988 and still ranks No. 4 in school history in career field goal percentage at 58.1 percent. He was as a second-team all-Mid-Continent Conference player in the 1986-87 season. McDermott is originally from Cascade, Iowa, and went to Cascade High School. He is married to 1987 UNI graduate, Theresa Adam. They are the proud parents of three children (Nick, Doug and Sydney). They currently reside in Omaha, Neb., where is the head men's basketball coach at Creighton University.

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Jody (Dean) McKowen – Softball (1996-1999)
Jody Dean was the first NCAA Division I softball All-American out of UNI as she earned third-team NFCA honors in 1997. During her All-American campaign in 1997, Dean led the Panthers in eight batting categories while tallying a .393 batting average to go along with a .676 slugging percentage and 12 home runs. As a freshman, Dean was named to the Missouri Valley Conference first team along with her sister Jen, making them the first sister tandem at the time to be named to any All-MVC team in the same season. A two-time first-team All-MVC pick, Dean sits atop the UNI record books for career slugging percentage at .631 during her four years as a Panther. Dean also ranks second in career batting average with .361, career on-base percentage at .423, and home runs with 29. She was a third-round selection by the Virginia Roadsters in the 1999 Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL) Draft. She suffered a knee injury that forced her collegiate career to end prior to her senior season in 1999. Dean is from Postville, Iowa and attended Postville High School. She currently resides in Cedar Rapids with her husband, Jon, and three sons, Trey, Drew and Cade. She is employed with Transamerica/Aegon as the Chief Human Resource Officer.

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Nic Ungs – Baseball (1999-2001)
Nic Ungs was named the Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year while earning second-team All-America honors in 2001 after setting multiple UNI single-season records. During his All-American campaign, Ungs set the UNI single-season records for wins (11), decisions (13), strikeouts (110) and innings pitched (109.0) while tallying a 1.34 ERA in conference play. He helped lead the Panthers to a MVC tournament title and a berth into the 2001 NCAA regional in Lincoln, Neb. in a season where he walked just 14 batters and struck out 106. Ungs was named to the MVC's All-Decade Team. He went on to be drafted by the Miami Marlins in the 12th round (362nd overall pick) of the 2001 amateur draft. He completed his minor league career of 12 years with a 71-56 record. He tossed a no-hitter in 2005. He competed on the USA Baseball Regional Olympic qualifying team in 2005 and 2006, which allowed Team USA to get into the 2008 Olympics. Ungs is originally from Dyersville, Iowa and attended Beckman Catholic High School. Ungs is currently living in Atlanta, Ga., and is working as an enterprise partner/channel manager for a data security company based out of Toronto. He coaches a 13-under travel baseball (Georgia Bombers) in his spare time. His father, Donnie, and brother, Matt, still reside in Dyersville.

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Shannon (Perry) Wieland – Volleyball (1996-1999)
Shannon Perry currently ranks second all-time at UNI in assists with 4,881. She led the Panthers in assists in each of her four seasons. Perry was named the MVC Player of the Year in 1998 and 1999. She was a three-time first-team all-MVC pick and a three-time first-team academic all-MVC honoree. Perry was the first UNI volleyball player to earn Division I All-America honors from the AVCA in 1999 as she tallied second-team status. She recorded five triple-doubles in her career. Perry has also been selected as a member of the MVC All-Centennial Team. Perry was a three-time member of the MVC Scholar-Athlete squad. Throughout her career, Perry would help lead the Panthers to the NCAA Tournament in 1998 and also in 1999 where she would take the Panthers to the Sweet Sixteen – for the first time in school history. In 2000, Perry was selected as the representative from the state of Iowa as a nominee for the NCAA Women of the Year award. Perry is originally from Overland Park, Kan., and attended Blue Valley Northwest High School. She is married to former UNI wrestling All-American Tony Wieland. The couple resided in West Des Moines with their two children. She is working as a physical therapist and as a consultant volleyball coach.

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David Kohrs – Dr. Jitu D. Kothari Meritorious Service Award
David Kohrs joined the University of Northern Iowa maintenance department in 1977. Over the next 35 years he served a variety of roles at UNI, primarily working with the Panther athletics facilities operations. He oversaw a multitude of events in the UNI-Dome including football, men's basketball, women's basketball, wrestling, track and field and softball along with graduations, trade shows and concerts – a total number that is more than 2,000 events worked. Kohrs received the Board of Regents Staff Excellence Award in December 2008. He retired from UNI in 2012 as an assistant facilities director. Kohrs is an avid golfer and has enjoyed his retirement with his wife, Sharon. The couple married in 1976.

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Josh Mahoney – Football (2005-2009)
Josh Mahoney is the inaugural recipient of the Merlin Taylor Academic Hall of Fame award. In 2009, he received the Walter Byers Postgraduate Scholarship Award, the highest academic award the NCAA administers. He was chosen as one of 15 finalists for the 2009 William V. Campbell Trophy ("Academic Heisman"). Mahoney received two Division I Academic All-America selections for the Panthers (2nd Team, 2008; 1st Team, 2009), and posted a 4.0 grade point average at the school while majoring in English and Economics. He was a two-time first-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference selection at linebacker, leading the team in tackles his junior and senior seasons. He played in 50 career games, securing four interceptions, nine tackles-for-loss, and 247 tackles for the Panthers during that time. Mahoney is originally from Sioux Falls, S.D., and attended O'Gorman High School.

1960 UNI Football Team
The University of Northern Iowa is inducting the 1960 football team into the Athletics Hall of Fame.

Fifty-five years ago the Panthers completed a perfect regular season with a 9-0 record and an appearance in the Mineral Water Bowl in Excelsior Springs, Mo.

The captains for the Iowa State Teachers College in 1960 were guard George Asleson, halfback Warren Hansen, quarterback Jerry Morgan and center Charlie Schulte. The Panthers were under the direction of first-year head coach Stan Sheriff.

Following the season, George Asleson earned first-team Associated Press Little All-America honors. Jerry Morgan tallied third-team status.

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Here is a game-by-game recap from the 1960 season:

Sept. 17 – Iowa Teachers 41, Mankato State 16
MANKATO, Minn. (Associated Press) – Iowa Teachers made the football coaching debut of Stan Sheriff a successful one in a 41-16 romp over Mankato State. Fullback Warren Hansen scored the first two Panther touchdowns and quarterback Jerry Morgan passed for two others. Teachers held a 28-0 lead after three quarters.

Sept. 24 – Iowa Teachers 19, North Dakota State, 7
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (by Chuck Burdick – Waterloo Courier) – Iowa Teachers threw up a sturdy defense to stop North Dakota State, 19-7. The Panthers contained their conference foe for all but one quick 60-yard scoring run against the second team. Mace Reyerson broke a 7-7 tie by running 44 yards with an interception.

Oct. 1 – Iowa Teachers 14, Drake 3
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (by Jim Moackler – Des Moines Register) – Iowa Teachers continued its football mastery over Drake by whipping the Bulldogs 14-3 before 6,500 fans. The Panthers beat Drake for the third straight time by scoring two second-half touchdowns, both resulting from pass interceptions. Mace Reyerson's theft and 48-yard scamper sealed the verdict.

Oct. 8 – Iowa Teachers 27, Augustana 7
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (by John Egan – Sioux Falls Argus Leader) – Augustana's victory flame was doused by Iowa Teachers before 8,000 Viking Days celebrants. Raining the most moisture was Jerry Morgan, magical quarterback, who guided the Panthers to a 27-7 North Central Conference victory. He hurled two touchdown strikes and paved the way for a third score with a pass interception.

Oct. 15 – Iowa Teachers 26, Morningside 0
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (by Russ Smith – Waterloo Courier) – Iowa Teachers followed orders and shut out Morningside 26-0. The Homecoming win was never in doubt. Warren Hansen dashed 36 yards for the first score. Jerry Morgan completed 7 of 12 passes for 148 yards. Stan Sheriff reminded his team it had yet to blank a foe this season.

Oct. 22 – Iowa Teachers 7, North Dakota 3
GRAND FORKS, N.D. (by C.D. Locklin – Grand Forks Herald) – Iowa Teachers went to the top of the North Central Conference with a goal line stand that beat North Dakota, 7-3. The Panthers stopped a 78-yard UND drive on the four with 1:18 left. Earlier, Teachers had gone the same distance for the winning touchdown. It was win No. 6 on the season for the Panthers.

Oct. 29 – Iowa Teachers 40, South Dakota 0
VERMILLION, S.D. (by Dean Conklin – Sioux Falls Argus Leader) – Iowa Teachers buried South Dakota 40-0 to win the North Central Conference title and stay unbeaten. Jerry Morgan piloted the Panthers to a 27-0 lead, then his understudy, Dave Cox, finished the job. Cox, a sophomore, intercepted four passes, threw for two touchdowns and ran a punt back 40 yards to set up another score.

Nov. 5 – Iowa Teachers 12, South Dakota State 0
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (by Chuck Burdick – Waterloo Courier) – Iowa Teachers stamped itself the best defensive team in North Central Conference history in beating South Dakota State, 12-0. The Panthers, getting their third shutout in six games, allowed only 17 points in winning six league games. Mace Reyerson, on a pass, and Warren Hansen, on a plunge, got the touchdowns.

Nov. 12 – Iowa Teachers 21, Wheaton 18
WHEATON, Ill. (by Russ Smith – Waterloo Courier) – Iowa Teachers put its ninth straight victory in the bag after building up a 21-6 lead against Wheaton with 12 minutes left. The Panthers didn't close the zipper on a 21-18 win until the final gun ended a last-ditch Wheaton effort. Jerry Morgan's passing accounted for two scores and set up the other, and he kicked the three deciding conversions.

Nov. 26 – Hillsdale 17, Iowa Teachers 6
EXCELSIOR SPRINGS, Mo. (by Buck Turnbull – Des Moines Register) – Hillsdale saved its explosive speed for a two-minute burst in the second half and defeated Iowa Teachers 17-6 in the Mineral Water Bowl. Jerry Morgan passes Teachers to a 6-0 lead at the half. Then Hillsdale scored on a 61-yard punt return by Jim Drake and a 39-yard dash by Bill Knapp. The Dales' platooning wore down the Iowans.

1960 ISTC Football Roster
Ends
Bob Andrews
Carl Bowman
Bob Butschi
Jerry Foster
John Gregory
Pat Mitchell
Mace Reyerson
Bill Schwartz

Tackles
John Davis
Don Eichelberger
Dennis Hanson
Ken Kroemer
Jack Marr
Roger Pfetzing
Al Sonnenberg
Bob Stevens
Gary Wilcox

Guards
George Asleson
Jim Bump
Hurley Hanley
Ted Minnick
Eldon Reinhardt
Dick Sherman
Wendell Williams

Centers
Dave Hahn
Arnold McCoy
Charlie Schulte
Curt Squiers
Duane Waters

Quarterbacks
Dave Cox
Gene Doyle
Jerry Morgan

Halfbacks
Bob Crane
Charlie Dunnigan
Bob Hall
Dean Hartman
Russ Jeffrey
John Raffensperger
Gary Shorey
Jon West
Bruce Wiegmann

Fullbacks
Dan Boals
Gary Kubik
Warren Hansen
Kelly Hood
Hank Vanderleest

1960 ISTC Coaching Staff
Head Coach – Stan Sheriff
Assistants – Lawrence (Bub) Bitcon, Art Dickinson, Greg Bice, John Sullivan
Managers – Ronald Rubek, Frank Ryan

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