General

WIAC Announces 2025 Hall of Fame Class

MADISON, Wis.--The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) has announced the members of its 2025 Hall of Fame class. The WIAC established a Hall of Fame to coincide with the conference’s celebration of its 100th anniversary, which took place during the 2012-13 academic year.
 
The 25-member class for 2025 will be inducted at the WIAC Hall of Fame Banquet to be held on July 26, 2025, and hosted by UW-Stout at Memorial Student Center in the Great Hall. The 25 individuals will join a prestigious conference Hall of Fame that includes 114 members.
 
In announcing the 2025 class, WIAC Commissioner Danielle Harris stated, “I would like to congratulate the outstanding inductees, who have helped solidify the conference’s status as the premier NCAA Division III conference. As we celebrate these inductees, it remains our intention to continue to induct future Hall of Fame classes every three years with the goal of recognizing those student-athletes, coaches, administrators, officials and others who have made remarkable contributions and achievements.”
 
For more information on the Hall of Fame class, please visit www.wiacsports.com. Information on purchasing tickets for the banquet, and more detailed bios and photos on each of the inductees will be provided at a later date.
 
Name---School (Years*)
(*Note: Years listed for winter sports student-athletes and coaches reflect the year the national championship is held. Example: If an individual was a freshman during the 1995-96 academic year, their first year is listed as 1996.)
 
Ryan Allen---UW-La Crosse (2003-06*)
-Was a member of UW-La Crosse’s wrestling team from 2003-06, and won NCAA Division III Championships at 285 pounds in 2004, 2005 and 2006, after finishing as the runner-up in the weight class in 2003. He was named the 2005 NCAA Division III Most Outstanding Wrestler, becoming the first individual in program history to receive the honor. Allen is the school’s all-time leader in wins, boasting a career mark of 161-14. He won four conference titles at 285 pounds from 2003-06, as UW-La Crosse secured the team championship all four years. In 2012, Allen was selected to the WIAC Wrestling All-Time Team in conjunction with the conference’s Centennial Celebration. He was inducted into the UW-La Crosse Wall of Fame in 2016.
  
Amanda (Nechuta) Bailey---UW-Stevens Point (2002-05*)
-Was a member of UW-Stevens Point’s women’s basketball team and women’s track & field team from 2002-05. On the basketball court, she was selected the 2005 NCAA Division III Player of the Year by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA). She received WBCA All-America First Team honors in 2004 and 2005, and added D3hoops.com All-America Second Team accolades in 2004. Bailey helped UW-Stevens Point claim the 2002 NCAA Division III national title and was selected to the All-Decade Team by D3hoops.com. Bailey was tabbed the conference Player of the Year in 2004 and 2005, as well as a three-time all-conference first team and all-defensive team selection (2003, 2004, 2005). Bailey owns the program’s all-time scoring mark with 1,801 points – a total that ranks fourth on the conference list. In track & field, Bailey was a four-time All-American in the shot put. She won the conference title in the outdoor shot put in 2002 and 2003. In 2012, Bailey was selected to the WIAC Women’s Basketball All-Time Team in conjunction with the conference’s Centennial Celebration. She was inducted into the UW-Stevens Point Athletics Hall of Fame in 2012 as an individual, and in 2008 as a member of the 2001-02 women’s basketball team. In 2019, Bailey was inducted into the Wisconsin Track Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
 
Robert Berezowitz---UW-Whitewater (1963-66, 85-2006)
-Served as UW-Whitewater’s football coach from 1985-2006, amassing a record of 158-73-4. The 158 wins are the third-most in conference history. Berezowitz led the Warhawks to eight conference championships and five NCAA Division III Tournament appearances. He was a two-sport student-athlete at UW-Whitewater, competing on the football and baseball teams. Berezowitz was a two-time All-American, two-time NAIA District 14 All-Area selection and two-time all-conference honoree in football. In 1966, he was a co-captain and Co-MVP of the NAIA semifinal game. In baseball, Berezowitz was a NAIA World Series participant in 1965. The student athletic complex at UW-Whitewater was named in his honor in 2012 - Berezowitz Student Athletic Complex. Berezowitz was inducted into the NAIA District 14 Hall of Fame in 1982, Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1988, and UW-Whitewater Athletics Hall of Fame as a student athlete in 1982, and a coach in 2014.
 
Paul Caufield---UW-Stevens Point (1989-92*)
-Was a member of UW-Stevens Point’s men’s ice hockey team from 1989-92, and won NCAA Division III national championships in 1989, 1990 and 1991, before finishing as the national runner-up in 1992. Caufield was a three-time American Hockey Coaches Association All-American, receiving first team honors in 1991 and 1992, after securing second team recognition in 1990. Caufield leads the conference’s career list with 254 points, 126 goals, 43 power-play goals and 148 games played, while ranking second with 19 game-winning goals and third with 128 assists. Caufield played one year of professional hockey with four teams, recording 13 goals and 12 assists for 25 points. In 2012, Caufield was selected to the WIAC Men’s Ice Hockey All-Time Team in conjunction with the conference’s Centennial Celebration. He was inducted into the UW-Stevens Point Athletics Hall of Fame in 1998 as an individual and as a member of the 1988-89 men’s ice hockey team.
 
Greg Corning---UW-River Falls (1984-87)
-Was a member of UW-River Falls’ football team from 1984-87, and secured American Football Coaches Association All-America First Team honors in 1987. He was selected the conference Player of the Year that same season. Corning is one of four individuals in program archives to receive all-conference honors in four different years. He collected first team recognition in 1986 and 1987, after claiming second team status in 1984 and 1985. During his four-year career, the Falcons compiled a 31-8-1 record and won the conference championship each season. Corning owns the program career records with 320 points and 52 touchdowns, and single-season marks with 102 points and 17 touchdowns. In 2012, he was selected to the WIAC Football All-Time Team in conjunction with the conference’s Centennial Celebration. Corning was inducted into the UW-River Falls Athletics Hall of Fame in 1997.
 
Jim Doden---WIAC Office (1971-2022)
-Served as the WIAC Coordinator of Baseball Umpires from 2003-22, and officiated in many capacities for the conference, including 32 years as a baseball umpire, 28 years as a basketball referee and 21 years as a football official. In addition to his experience with the WIAC, Doden has served as a Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association official for 50 years. He was the conference commissioner for the Valley 8 Conference from 1998 until the conference realigned in 2007. In 2000, he was named commissioner of the Fox Valley Association. Doden was a member of the National Education Association, Association of Wisconsin School Administrators, Wisconsin Association of School Business Officials, National Association of Sports Officials, Green Bay Officials Association and Fox Cities Officials Association. Doden was inducted into the Green Bay Officials Association Hall of Fame in November 2010, and Shoreland Baseball League Hall of Fame in 2019.
 
Chelsea (Hoff) Endres---UW-La Crosse (2008-10*)
-Was a member of UW-La Crosse’s swimming & diving team from 2008-10, and collected 18 NCAA Division III All-America awards, including seven individual honors. At the 2008 national championship, Hoff placed second in the 100-yard backstroke and ninth in the 50-yard freestyle. In 2009, she was fifth in the 50-yard freestyle and sixth in the 100-yard backstroke. In 2010, she was second in the 100-yard backstroke, fifth in the 50-yard freestyle and fifth in the 100-yard freestyle. In conference championships, Hoff secured nine individual titles and 11 relay crowns, and helped the Eagles claim conference titles in 2008 and 2009. She was tabbed the conference Swimmer of the Meet from 2008-10, the first individual in conference history to receive the honor three consecutive years. In 2012, Hoff was selected to the WIAC Women’s Swimming & Diving All-Time Team in conjunction with the conference’s Centennial Celebration. She was inducted into the UW-La Crosse Wall of Fame in 2022.
 
Paul Erickson---UW-Platteville (1996-2024)
-Served as UW-Platteville’s sports information director from 1996-2011, and university’s director of communications and the public information officer from 2011-23. In the fall of 2023, Erickson stepped into the interim athletic director role, navigating and uniting the department through an extremely difficult time. From the development of multiple programs record books, to creation of media guides and programs, to the development of the original athletic department website, and keeping of statistics at games, he built a legacy as one of the best in the business. Erickson covered two national championship basketball teams, as well as football, men’s soccer and women’s volleyball NCAA Tournament appearances, conference championships and the Chicago Bears Training Camp in Platteville. He chaired many university-wide committees and serves as the historian on the Hall of Fame committee.
  
Connie Foster---UW-River Falls (1984-2009*)
-Served UW-River Falls in several roles during her long and productive career. She started her career as the women’s gymnastics coach from 1984-92, and was named the conference Coach of the Year in 1989. Foster was the women’s athletic director from 1992-96, and athletic director from 1996-2002. She served as the Dean of the College of Education and Professional Studies from 2003-07, and was the interim chancellor in 2008-09. Foster was the conference president from 1995-97, and served as a member of the transition team from the Wisconsin Women’s Intercollegiate Athletic Conference to the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in 1996-97. She earned the University’s Outstanding Service Award in 2003, and was co-chair of the Falcon Center Fundraising committee. Foster received a UW-River Falls Outstanding Service Award in 2013, and was inducted into the UW-River Falls Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015.
 
Karen Guckenberger---UW-Stevens Point (2000-03)
-Was a member of UW-Stevens Point’s softball team from 2000-03, and collected four All-Great Lakes Region awards (second team – 2000, first team – 2001, first team – 2002, third team – 2003). Guckenberger received all-conference first team recognition all four years and received Pitcher of the Year accolades in 2002. She owns numerous career program records, including 573.1 innings pitched, 58 victories, 16 saves, 69 complete games, 504 strikeouts and 115 appearances. She tossed a pair of no-hitters and contributed to a third. The first 33.1 innings pitched of her collegiate career were scoreless innings. In 2001, she recorded the most saves in NCAA Division III with five, as UW-Stevens Point won the conference regular season and tournament championships. In 2014, Guckenberger was inducted into the UW-Stevens Point Athletics Hall of Fame.

Lisa Herb---UW-Eau Claire (1985-2006)
-Served as UW-Eau Claire’s women’s volleyball coach from 1985-2006, and was the interim women’s athletic director in 1986-87 and 1992. She finished as the winningest coach in program history with a 627-208 record - a victory total ranks fourth on the conference’s all-time list. Herb led the Blugolds to conference titles in 1987 and 2006, and was tabbed the conference Coach of the Year in 1997 and 2006. In 22 years, Herb posted 21 winning seasons. She won 30-plus matches in nine of the seasons, highlighted by a 52-3 record in 1987 – the second-most wins in a single season by a conference team. Herb coached 15 AVCA All-Americans and five Academic All-Americans. She was the interim women’s basketball coach during the 1987-88 season, leading the Blugolds to their most wins in school history at that time with a 17-10 mark, and advanced to the NAIA District 14 playoffs. Herb was inducted into the University of Dubuque (Iowa) Hall of Fame in 2001, and her 1982 team was inducted in 2004. She was inducted into the UW-Eau Claire Athletics Hall of Fame in 2012.
  
Amy Jamieson---UW-Stout (1994-97*)
-Was a member of the UW-Stout women’s basketball team from 1994-97, women’s tennis team from 1994-97, and softball team in 1997. She is the only known UW-Stout student-athlete to earn all-conference honors in three sports in one academic year (1996-97). Jamieson also secured all-conference first team recognition in three separate sports in one calendar year (1997).  She helped the Blue Devils win their first-ever women’s basketball conference title in 1997. She was named to the all-conference first team and all-defensive team in 1996 and 1997. She is currently second on the program’s all-time list with 262 career steals and ninth with 1,136 career points. On the tennis court, Jamieson was the No. 1 doubles conference champion in 1997, after recording runner-up finishes at No. 1 doubles in 1994 and 1996. On the softball diamond, Jamieson was a NFCA All-Midwest Region Second Team selection in 1997. Jamieson was inducted into the UW-Stout Athletics Hall of Fame in 2009.
 
Ben Knepper---UW-Stout (2000-03)
-Was a member of UW-Stout’s football team from 2000-03, and was a two-time All-American and during his senior year was selected All-America by five publications – AP Little All-America, American Football Coaches Association, D3football.com, College Sports Information Directors and Don Hansen Weekly Football Gazette. Knepper was an all-conference first team selection in 2002 and 2003, and participated in the 2003 Aztec Bowl. Approximately 65 percent of the plays were run to Knepper’s side during the 2003 campaign. He allowed only one sack during his last two years, that coming in the first game of his junior season, going more than 700 consecutive plays without allowing a sack. The Blue Devils won the 2000 WIAC championship - their first since 1965 - and compiled a 29-11 record during his four seasons – the best four-year stretch in program history. In 2012, Knepper was selected to the WIAC Football All-Time Team in conjunction with the conference’s Centennial Celebration. He was inducted into the UW-Stout Athletics Hall of Fame in 2014. 
 
Wendy (Wangerin) Meka---UW-Oshkosh (1993-97*)
-Was a member of UW-Oshkosh’s women’s basketball team from 1993-96, women’s golf team in 1996, and softball team from 1996-97. She helped the women’s basketball squad win the 1996 NCAA Division III Championship. Meka was tabbed the NCAA Division III Player of the Year in 1996 by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and received WBCA All-America Honorable Mention status in 1995. Meka was an all-conference first team selection from 1993-96 and is the only four-time first team honoree in program history. Meka ranks fourth on the conference’s all-time list with 1,743 career points and fifth with 711 career field goals made. On the softball diamond, she collected all-conference accolades in 1996 and 1997. In 2012, she was selected to the WIAC Women’s Basketball All-Time Team in conjunction with the conference’s Centennial Celebration. Meka was inducted into the UW-Oshkosh Athletics Hall of Fame in 2009.
  
Willie Myers^ ---UW-Whitewater (1968-2004*)
-Served as UW-Whitewater’s wrestling coach from 1968-2004 and the men’s athletic director from 1983-98. As wrestling coach, Myers led the team to 12 conference titles and 17 top-20 finishes at national tournaments, including nine top-10 performances. He coached 64 individual conference champions, 53 All-Americans and four individual national champions. Myers received the Mertz Mortorelli Coach of the Year honor five times and was the NAIA Rookie Coach of the Year in 1969. As athletic director, he oversaw the remodeling of the Williams Center and addition of Kachel Fieldhouse. The UW-Whitewater Wrestling Room was named in his honor in 2005 – and now bears the name Willie Myers Family Wrestling Gymnasium. In 2012, Myers was selected the WIAC Wrestling All-Time Coach in conjunction with the conference’s Centennial Celebration. Myers was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame in 1966, George Martin Hall of Fame in 1982, Eastern Illinois University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1996, UW-Whitewater Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005 and NAIA District 14 Hall of Fame.
  
Richard Pein---UW-La Crosse (1979-2012 and 2018-19*)
-Served as UW-La Crosse’s men’s swimming & diving coach from 1979-2012 and 2018-19, and the women’s swimming & diving coach from 1985-2012 and 2018-19. The men’s team placed among the top-20 nationally in either the NAIA or NCAA in 11 seasons, while the women’s team finished in the top-12 at the NCAA Division III Championship four times, including a school-best fifth in 2004. The women also recorded a pair of NAIA top-20 finishes. Pein led the women’s team to seven conference titles in his last 10 seasons, including four consecutive. He received the conference’s Coach of the Year distinction 11 times for the women and six times for the men. Pein was tabbed the NCAA Diving III Women's Swimming National Coach of the Year in 2003-04 by the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America. He was named the NAIA District 14 Men’s Coach of the Year in 1990-91. He was inducted into the UW-La Crosse Wall of Fame in 2006, and the Richard L. Pein Natatorium at UW-La Crosse was dedicated in his honor in 2014.

Camille Ross---UW-Whitewater (1997-2000*)
-Was a member of UW-Whitewater’s women’s track & field team from 1997-2000, and a 15-time NCAA qualifier and eight-time All-American. In outdoor NCAA championships, she collected six All-America honors, including five individual and two relay. Her top performance was a second-place finish in the 100-meter dash in 1999, while adding a third-place finish in the 200-meter dash. Ross helped UW-Whitewater to a fourth-place outdoor national finish in 2000, after a sixth-place finish in 1999. Her best indoor NCAA championship finish was fourth place in the 55-meter dash in 2000. She was a 12-time conference champion and received Outdoor Track Performer of the Meet honors in 1999 and 2000 – the first individual in conference history to win the award in back-to-back years. Ross broke every indoor and outdoor sprint record of 200 meters and under at UW-Whitewater and the conference. In 2012, Ross was selected to the WIAC Women’s Track & Field All-Time Team in conjunction with the conference’s Centennial Celebration. She was inducted into the UW-Whitewater Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015.
  
Sara (Smith) Schierl---UW-Eau Claire (1984-87*)
-Schierl was a member of the UW-Eau Claire women’s swimming & diving team from 1984-87. She is the only women’s diver in UW-Eau Claire’s history to win four national championships, capturing NAIA titles in 1984, 1985 and 1987. Schierl swept the diving competitions in 1985, winning one- and three-meter crowns. She also finished as the national runner-up four times. Schierl was an eight-time All-American and set the national scoring record on the three-meter board in 1987, when UW-Eau Claire won the NAIA national championship. UW-Eau Claire claimed the conference title in each of her four seasons. Schierl was inducted into the UW-Eau Claire Athletics Hall of Fame in 1993.
  
Marcia Taddy---UW-Platteville (2004-08*)
-Was a member of UW-Platteville’s women’s track & field team from 2005-08, and women’s cross country team from 2004-06. She is a two-time U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) National Track Athlete of the Year, winning the indoor and outdoor honor in 2007. Taddy is the only female UW-Platteville athlete from any sport to be named National Player of the Year. She is an eight-time track & field NCAA Division III champion (the most of any Pioneer athlete, female or male). In 2007, she won indoor national titles in the 800-meter run, mile run and distance medley relay. Taddy is a 15-time track & field All-American. She is a 19-time conference champion and five-time conference track performer of the meet. Taddy still owns 10 school records and four conference championship marks. In cross country, she collected a pair of All-America honors, finishing 13th at the national championship in 2004, and 17th in 2006. In 2012, Taddy was selected to the WIAC Women’s Track & Field All-Time Team in conjunction with the conference’s Centennial Celebration. She was inducted into the Wisconsin Track Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2013, and the USTFCCCA NCAA Division III Track & Field Athlete Hall of Fame in 2022. 
 
Jim Van Gorden---UW-Eau Claire (1961-64)
-Was a member of UW-Eau Claire’s football team from 1961-64, securing NAIA All-America First Team honors in 1964, when he led the NAIA with 256.3 passing yards per game. Van Gorden helped UW-Eau Claire win the conference championship in 1963 and 1964. He was an all-conference selection in 1962, 1963 and 1964, and was named Team MVP three times, becoming the first player in program history to receive that distinction. In his senior year, Van Gorden posted five of the top-six total offense games in school history. At the time of his graduation, he held several school records – most passing yards in a game, most yards of total offense in a game, most passing touchdowns in a game, most passing yards in a season, and most yards of total offense in a season. He signed with the Green Bay Packers following graduation and went on to play semi-pro football with the Joliet Explorers for one year in 1965. Van Gorden was inducted into the UW-Eau Claire Athletics Hall of Fame in 1977.
 
T.J. Van Wie---UW-Platteville (1990-93*)
-Was a member of UW-Platteville’s men’s basketball team from 1990-93, and helped the Pioneers win the 1991 NCAA Division III Championship – the first national crown in program history. In addition, during his four-year career, the Pioneers compiled a 105-14 record and added a third-place national finish in 1992. In 1992, he earned a spot on the National Association of Basketball Coaches All-America First Team. Van Wie was tabbed the conference Player of the Year in 1993, and received the Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete Award in 1992 and 1993 – the only individual in conference history to receive the award in men’s basketball twice. He is tied for ninth on the program’s all-time scoring list with 1,466 career points. Van Wie was inducted into the UW-Platteville Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008 as an individual, and in 2011 as a member of the 1990-91 men’s basketball team.
 
Gary Varsho---UW-Oshkosh (1980-82)
-Was a member of UW-Oshkosh’s baseball team from 1980-82 and helped the Titans reach the NCAA Division III World Series all three seasons. He was a member of the 1981 NCAA Division III All-World Series Team. UW-Oshkosh won the conference title every year of his career and compiled an 82-21 record. Varsho stole 56 consecutive bases – a mark that ranks as the third-longest in NCAA Division III history. He was a fifth-round selection in the 1982 Major League Baseball Draft by the Chicago Cubs. Varsho played in 571 games over eight seasons with the Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies, and led the National League in pinch hitting in 1988. In 2012, he was selected to the WIAC Baseball All-Time Team in conjunction with the conference’s Centennial Celebration. Varsho was inducted into the UW-Oshkosh Athletics Hall of Fame in 1992.
  
Becca (Jordahl) Wingenbach---UW-River Falls (2006-08*)
-Was a member of UW-River Falls’ women’s track & field and cross country teams from 2006-08 and collected six All-America awards. In track & field, Wingenbach helped the Falcons secure their only NCAA Division III Championship in 2008, when they claimed the outdoor title. She won the 5,000-meter run and placed third in the 10,000-meter run. Wingenbach also finished second in the 5,000-meter run during the indoor championship in 2008. In cross country, Wingenbach secured All-America accolades in 2006, 2007 and 2008 by placing 19th, fourth and 14th, respectively at the NCAA Division III Championship. She was tabbed the Midwest Region Athlete of the Year in 2007 by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, and won the WIAC title in 2008. She holds program track & field records in the indoor 3,000-meter run and 5,000-meter run, and outdoor 3,000-meter run, 5,000-meter run and 10,000-meter run. In the Falcons cross country record book, she owns the top times on 5,000-meter and 6,000-meter courses. In 2012, she was selected to the WIAC Women’s Cross Country All-Time Team in conjunction with the conference’s Centennial Celebration. Wingenbach was inducted into the UW-River Falls Athletics Hall of Fame in 2019.

John Zuerlein---UW-Stout (1962-94*)
-Served as UW-Stout’s men’s gymnastics coach from its inception in 1962 until 1983, and women’s gymnastics coach from 1979-94. He started the men’s program, while still a student in 1962 and turned the program into a national contender. Zuerlein was twice named the national coach of the year, and the conference coach of the year in 1984 and 1992. He coached seven individual national champions, 15 NAIA and five NCAA men’s All-Americans, 15 men’s individual conference champions, four NCGA women’s All-Americans and numerous all-conference gymnasts. Zuerlein’s men’s team placed in the top four of the NAIA Championship every year from 1970-83, and twice placed fifth in the NCAA Division II Championship. He was inducted into the UW-Stout Athletics Hall of Fame in 2000.
  
John Zupanc---UW-Oshkosh (1982-2010)
-Served as UW-Oshkosh’s men’s cross country coach from 1982-2010, the indoor track & field coach from 2006-10, and outdoor track & field coach from 2005-10. He led the cross country team to NCAA Division III national championships in 1988, 1989, 1990 and 2002, as well as seven conference titles. Zupanc was tabbed the NCAA Division III Cross Country Coach of the Year in 2002, and coached 20 athletes to 37 All-America performances. He received the conference Coach of the Year distinction seven times, and had four runners combine for five conference titles. Zupanc led the indoor and outdoor track & field programs to NCAA Division III titles in 2009. He was inducted into the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Coaches Hall of Fame in 2012, and the UW-Oshkosh Athletics Hall of Fame in 2013.
 
^-Deceased