1974-75 UNI wrestling team to be inducted to Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame
1/25/2023 1:15:00 PM | Wrestling
Members of the Hinschberger/Shedenhelm families, including four former Panthers also being honored
WATERLOO, Iowa --- The 1974-75 UNI wrestling team has been selected for induction into the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa, as announced by the Hall of Fame on Tuesday. This group of Panther wrestlers, along with 8 other honorees will be inducted into the hall on June 23 of this year.
Other honorees include Rachel Watters, Jon Reader, Nate Gallick, John Oostendorp, Lennie Zalesky, the Hinschberger and Shedenhelm families, Josh Schamberger and the late Mark Reiland.
Led by UNI Hall of Fame coach Chuck Patten, the 1974-75 Panther team was a dominant force in the mid-1970s, compiling a 15-4 dual record and winning the State of Iowa's first-ever NCAA Division II national championship. Five UNI wrestlings reached the finals of the national championships, including Dave Cunningham (118 pounds), Jim Miller (134 pounds), Ken Snyder (142 pounds), Dick Erickson (177 pounds) and Randy Omvig (HWT). Miller and Snyder both won their second consecutive national titles, while Omvig won his first. The 1974-75 Panther wrestling team was inducted into the UNI Athletics Hall of Fame in 2014.
Members of the 1974-75 UNI wrestling team included Stanley Allen, Michael Asche, Jon Bagenstos, Gary Bentrim, Jeffrey Billerbeck, James Blasingame, Richard Briggs, Russell Clark, Stephen Coon, Thomas Cornally, David Coulter, David Cunningham, Larry Dawson, Dallas Deike, Joseph Deutsch, Randy Dodd, Michael Eremieff, Richard Erickson, Lowell Ewalt, Kevin Finn, Thomas Garcia, Al Garrison, Ron Gomis, Alan Halferty, Paul Herder, Thomas Hinschberger, Cassim Igram, Dan Keller, Dick Kennedy, Kurt Mattison, Bruce McClure, Nolan Meggers, Jeffrey Melvin, Gary Meyers, James Miller, Randall Omvig, Ronald Ott, Chuck Parsons, Stephen Pate, Kenneth Peterson, Lars Sacquitne, Lonny Silber, Michael Skopec, Kenneth Snyder, Lawrence Soderberg, Dana Sutherland, Randall Terpstra, Hal Turner, Russell Vermie, Paul Viktora, Paul Vornbrock, Mark Wakeland, John Wistey and Michael Woodall.Â
The Hinschberger and Shedenhelm families will receive the Bowlsby Family Legacy Award. Composed of 14 wrestlers, a Hinschberger/Shedenhelm family member has wrestled or coached since 1971, beginning with brothers Tom, Jim, Dean, Kurt and Bruce Hinschberger at Belle Plaine High School.
Tom, the eldest, finished fourth at the Iowa high school championships in 1972 and wrestled for UNI before sustaining a career-ending injury in 1975. Kurt was a two-time Iowa state champion in 1978 and 1979 while Jim, Dean and Bruce all wrestled.Â
Kurt finished fifth in 1981 and third in 1982 and 1983 at the Iowa state tournament and was a Freestyle Junior Nationals runner-up before becoming a three-time NCAA qualifier at UNI. Kevin placed third (1983) and second (1984) at the Iowa state tournament and also wrestled for the Panthers. Kevin became the head wrestling coach at Denver (Iowa) High School and coached his three sons, Blaze, Chase, and Izaak. Chase and Izaak would both pursue wrestling careers at UNI after stellar high school careers.Â
Notably, current UNI head coach Doug Schwab and his family were recognized with the Bowlsby Family Legacy Award in 2019, while current Panther wrestler Cael Happel's family was honored with the recognition in 2021.
Players Mentioned
