UNI Athletics announces Hall of Fame Class of 2022

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — UNI Athletics will induct seven individuals from six Panther programs and the 1963-64 men's basketball team into the 2022 Hall of Fame.

The 2022 class will include Panthers who competed from the early 1960s through the mid-2000s.

This year's individual honorees include former NFL offensive lineman Chad Rinehart, two-time all-American wrestler Mark Schwab and all-American volleyball player Kate Witte. The field also includes track and field standouts Bob Friedman and Dirk Homewood, both four-time all-Americans. Softball pitcher Sarah O'Byrne (Smerage) rounds out the pool of former student-athletes.

The Dr. Jito Kothari Meritorious Service Award will be presented to longtime UNI physical education instructor Dr. Bill Thrall.

"Our Hall of Fame selection committee has selected a fantastic class of Panthers who are indicative of the high standards of UNI Athletics," said Athletics Director David Harris. "Their accomplishments are a great demonstration of the national success UNI has achieved across all sports. We look forward to gathering to honor this class and all their achievements."

The induction ceremony will kick off Hall of Fame weekend on Sept. 16:

5:30 p.m. social hour | 6:30 p.m. dinner | 7:30 p.m. program
Bien Venu Event Center | 7400 Hudson Road, Cedar Falls, Iowa

Tickets to the event are available to the public and can be purchased online by clicking here. The cost of an adult meal is $35 and $15 for children under 3-11. Youths 2 years old and younger without a meal are free. A cash bar will be available.

This year's inductees also will be honored in the UNI-Dome at the halftime of the Sacramento State Hall of Fame football game that begins at 4 p.m. Sept. 17.

Bob Friedman - Cross Country/Track & Field

The winner of multiple North Central Conference championships in track and field, Bob Friedman led by example as one of UNI's top distance runners in the late 1970s. A four-time all-American 1,500-meter runner from Carroll, Iowa, Friedman earned fifth place at the 1976 NCAA Championships as well as a pair of fourth-place finishes in 1977 and 1978 and runner-up in 1979.
Friedman set a number of school relay records during his Panther career, with several of his marks still ranking among the fastest in program history to this day. His 1,500-meter time of 3 minutes, 44.06 seconds from the 1979 season stood as a school record until 2002 and remains the third fastest mark in program history.

Sarah O'Byrne (Smerage) - Softball

Left-handed hurler Sarah O'Byrne (Smerage), from Cresco, Iowa, provided a major spark for the Panthers inside the pitching circle, helping take the UNI softball program to new heights during her career. Playing from 1987 through 1990, O'Byrne recorded a breakout senior season in 1990 setting a 23-year program record and (second all time record) in season wins (21). She also holds the single-season record for innings pitched (279.1) complete games (34) and shutouts (9). An All-Gateway Conference pitcher as a senior, O'Byrne helped lead the UNI to its first Gateway Tournament championship, and the program's first-ever NCAA appearance in 1990. O'Byrne finished her career with the fifth-lowest career ERA in school history (1.50), O'Byrne ranks second in UNI history for career wins (60), games started (108) games completed (85) and innings pitched (752.2) and 3rd in shutouts with 22. Lefty O'Byrne was known for her wicked inside curve ball and precision accuracy allowing an average of just 1.46 walks per 7 inning game (and 752 innings pitched). O'Byrne was named to UNI's most valuable senior athletes list in 1990 and honored as a Gateway Athlete of the Decade for UNI women's sports. After graduation, O'Byrne continued her career with a six-month season in New Zealand pitching for the Otaga national team and Green Island Fairfield club team. O'Byrne's first pitching coach was UNI Hall of Fame Member, Patty Stockman. O'Byrne's passion to help young players build the fundamentals for health and longevity in pitching led to five years serving as a pitching coach in the Dallas Center Grimes area.

Chad Rinehart - Football

A two-time all-American tackle, Chad Rinehart's presence on the offensive line played a key role in UNI's football success in the mid-2000s. The Boone, Iowa, native helped the Panthers to 37 wins, including three Gateway Football Conference championships, headlined by a run to the 2005 FCS National Championship Game and an undefeated 2007 regular season.
Following three First Team All-Gateway selections and First Team All-American recognition as a senior, Rinehart was drafted in the third round with the 96th overall pick of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins. After a brief stint on the New York Jets practice squad in 2010, Rinehart signed with the Buffalo Bills, where he would make 17 starts in 27 games played. Rinehart concluded his professional career after the 2014 season after two seasons with the San Diego Chargers with 26 starts under his belt. Considered one of the best tackles in the history of the MVFC, Rinehart was named to the league's Silver Anniversary Team in 2009. Rinehart now resides in Cedar Falls, and serves as the associate athletic director at Waverly-Shell Rock High School.

Mark Schwab - Wrestling

Considered by the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame as a no-nonsense wrestler who took control of matches early and dominated his competition, Mark Schwab's career in wrestling was one for the record books as both an athlete and coach in Iowa. The Osage, Iowa, native compiled a career record of 114-18 at UNI with a .863 winning percentage, one of the highest in program history. A two-time all-American, he took fifth place at the NCAA championships after a 49-9 his true freshman season at 118 pounds, the most wins ever in a single season at UNI and the most in NCAA history by a true freshman. He went 30-0 in open competition during the 1986-87 season and a bronze medalist in Tblissi, Russia, which was deemed the world's toughest tournament as a redshirt sophomore. He would hold the nation's top ranking in his weight class after a 17-1-2 record before his season-ending injury. After nine knee operations and missing the equivalent of an entire season, Schwab reached the NCAA championships in1989 with a 14-4 record and 34-4 senior campaign earning his second all-American status. Following his competitive career, Schwab entered the coaching profession. He made stops at Purdue and 10 years at the University of Minnesota, winning two NCAA team championships and seven top-three team finishes before taking over the head coaching role at Buena Vista University. He earned Iowa Conference Coach of the year in 2007. Schwab returned to UNI from 2011-2016. Schwab's coaching career included 71 all-Americans and eight NCAA champions. He was an Iowa high school wrestling hall of fame inductee in 1997, entered the Glen Brand HOF in 2002 and a member of the Iowa Chapter of the Wrestling Hall of Fame. In 2008, he was inducted into the Iowa Coaches Hall of Fame. Schwab and his family were recognized in 2019 by the Dan Gable Museum with the Bowlsby Family Legacy Award. Schwab also earned a master's degree at the University of Minnesota in 2003.

Kate Witte - Volleyball

During the early years of the UNI volleyball program, Kate Witte helped set the standard of excellence for the Panther program. From 1978 through her senior season in 1981, Witte helped lead the Panthers to 115 wins under head coaches Carol Gruber and Iradge Ahrabi-Fard. The 1981 Midwest Region AIAW all-American graduated from UNI in 1982 following one of the team's most successful seasons as the Panthers amassed a 40-8-3 record, the winningest season in program history. Witte was named the head women's volleyball coach at Ohio Northern University in 1991, a role she would excel in until her retirement following the 2019 season. While at ONU, Witte built the Polar Bears into one of the most successful programs in Division III with a career record of 742-241 (.756 win percentage), winning 19 Ohio Athletic Conference regular season titles, 15 conference tournament championships, and qualifying for 23 NCAA Division III tournaments. Witte's Polar Bears would reach the Sweet Sixteen 12 times in her career, while making the Elite Eight four times, and the Final Four once. She was named OAC Coach of the Year seven times during her 29-year career, and earned seven AVCA Regional Coach of the Year honors. Witte also spent 16 years of her time at ONU as the department's senior women's administrator and was a professor of health education.

1963-64 Men's Basketball Team

Making just the second postseason appearance in school history, the State College of Iowa men's basketball season of 1963-64 was one of record breaking success, highlighted by the deepest postseason run in history of the program. Under the leadership of second year head coach Norm Stewart, SCI opened the 1963-64 season winning its first 10 games, including a 59-54 win over Iowa State. The Panthers finished the regular season with a 20-2 record, and 11-1 mark to win the North Central Conference championship. Pete Spoden earned AP First Team All-American honors, while guard Duane Josephson and forward Ron Jessen both were selected with all-Conference recognition. Hosting the Midwest Regional of the NCAA Division Championship, the Panthers defeated Washington University (Missouri) and Mankato State to clinch the regional title and advance to the Elite Eight in Evansville, Indiana. Led by Josephson's 28 points, SCI reached the Final Four with a 93-85 win over Southeast Missouri State. The Panthers would fall to the host and eventual national champion Evansville Purple Aces in the Final Four, and finished fourth in the tournament after falling to North Carolina A&T in the third-place game. Josephson led UNI with 16.8 points per game on the year, as Jessen shot 50% overall from the field. Craig Kneppe, who would go on to be named the NCC Player of the Year and earn AP All-American Honorable Mention recognition the following season, led the Panthers with 8.6 rebounds per game, and a 75.8% mark at the free throw line.

PLAYERS: Harry Daniels, Gene Fuelling, Ivan Gilbert, Larry Goodrich, Don Hein, Ronald Jessen, Duane Josephspn, Herb Justmann, Craig Kneppe, Richard Lowe, Dan McCleary, Jerry McColley, Charles Nolting, Dennis Przychodzin, Barry Remington, Lyle Schwarzenbach, Pete Spoden

HEAD COACH: Norm Stewart

Dr. Bill Thrall - Dr. Jito Kothari Meritorious Service Award

A dedicated member of the UNI faculty, Dr. Bill Thrall spent over three decades as an educator, helping organize and lead the athletic department down a path built for success. Dr. Thrall joined the faculty at UNI as an assistant professor in 1960 in the physical education department before later becoming a full professor and department head. UNI's School of Health, Physical Education and Leisure Services would be organized under the university's College of Education under the founding leadership of Thrall, who was also a key voice in the university's separation of academic programs in the Department of Physical Education for Men and the establishment of a Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. It was this decision that effectively created the opportunity for UNI to move from a Division II institution to Division I. Thrall was responsible for providing oversight in various aspects, including recruitment, as well as the selection and evaluation of administrators, coaches and other department staff. He also played a key role in establishing and hiring future coaches in new sports clubs at UNI, including swimming and gymnastics. Thrall was appointed by two different governors to serve on the Iowa Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. He also served eight years on the University's Athletic Council as well as one year on the Athletic Advisory Council before retiring from UNI in 1991.

Dirk Homewood - Track & Field - Merlin Taylor Academic Hall of Fame Award

Pursuing a collegiate track career in his hometown, Cedar Falls, Iowa, native Dirk Homewood quickly burst onto the scene as one of UNI's best sprinters during the early 2000s. An eight-time Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) individual champion in both indoor and outdoor track, Homewood dominated the 200-meter and 400-meter dashes during his career, while also contributing to a number of successful relay teams for the Panthers. He helped lead his team to four consecutive MVC team championships. Homewood qualified for the NCAA Championships six times, earning four all-America honors (three indoor and one outdoor) and was named all-MVC all four years of his career. He also earned three CoSIDA academic all-America honors, and MVC scholar-athlete honors in all four years. Homewood graduated with 10 school records, five of his school records still stand, including the indoor and outdoor 400-meter dash. He was part of the current record for the indoor 4x400-meter relay as well as the 4x100-meter and 4x200-meter relays, set outdoors. For these accomplishments, he was named the 2005 UNI Outstanding Panther Senior Athlete. After graduation Homewood signed professionally with Reebok and competed for USATF and internationally while also serving as a volunteer assistant coach with the Panthers from 2005-09. Today, he coaches both the Cedar Falls High School boys' and girls' track teams.

UNI Athletics is always accepting applications to the Hall of Fame. The nomination form can be found by clicking here.

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