Class 2004 - University of Northern Colorado Athletics

2004 Class: Front row (l-r): Dennis Colson, Terry (Wenzinger) Goldwater, Alexis Garnder. Back row (l-r): Mike Rogers, Gerry Dattilio, Tom Beck. 1974 Baseball Team pictured at bottom of page.

Hall of Fame Class of 2004

1974 Baseball Team
Tom Petroff (Head Coach)

Record of 32-13; coached by Tom Petroff; Great Plains Athletic Conference title; UNC won 17 of 18 games heading into the College World Series; Bears reached the College World Series by defeating both Gonzaga (2 games to 1) and Arizona (2 games to 0) in a three-game series; UNC swept Arizona (6-5 and 6-2) to make their 10th appearance in the College World Series; Rick Thoren tossed a five-hitter in the clinching game against the Wildcats; UNC defeated Harvard (4-2) in the loser's bracket after falling to Oklahoma (10-1) in the opening round; UNC suffered a 5-3 loss to Southern Illinois to be eliminated from the College World Series; finished sixth in final Division I poll; Bob DeMeo led the team in hitting with a .404 batting average; four other Bears hit over .300 for the season (Ron Holmes - .347, Jeff Cheek - .338; Joe Strain - .338; Dennis Leonida - .309); the pitching staff was led by Keith Bailey (10-2, 3.63 ERA) and Rick Thoren (8-1, 4.12 ERA).

Team Members: Mark Aasen, Keith Bailey, Jeff Cheek, Greg Cook, Mike Coy, Bob DeMeo, John Gabbert, Steve Gjertsen, Paul Gradishar, Ron Holmes, Rick Kent, Dennis Leonida, Mike McNeill, Greg Meyer, Larry Nelson, Greg Pilkington, Rich Pinkowski, Tom Runnels, Davie Schiessler, Jeff Simpson, Joe Strain, Rick Thoren

Tom Beck, Football (1993-96)
Starting quarterback that led Bears to the NCAA Division II playoffs two consecutive years (1995 & 1996); Won national championship in 1996 with an injury depleted team with a 23-14 win over Carson-Newman; Ranks among UNC all-time leaders in passings yards (7th, 4,251), touchdown passes (5th, 35) and total offense (6th, 4,589); Has served as an active member in the Blue & Gold campaign to help raise dollars for UNC athletic scholarships.

Dennis Colson, Basketball/Track & Field/Baseball (1963-68)
Three-year letter winner in basketball, one in track & field, one in baseball; Helped basketball team to a 21-6 record in 1965-66 and a midwest regional tournament appearance; Led the team to three straight Rocky Mountain Conference basketball championships; Three-time All-Conference in basketball; Academic All-American selection three times; Student body president as a senior; Recipient of NCAA Postgraduate scholarship; Currently, a professor of law at the University of Idaho.

Gerry Dattilio, Football (1972-75)
Led the Bears in rushing as a quarterback in 1972 & 1973; Led the team in passing yards in both 1973 (1,367 yds., 18 TDs) and 1974 (1,367 yds., 14 TDs); Bears' total offense leader from 1972-74; Ranks 10th on the Bears' all-time passing yards list with 2,953 passing yards; Ranks 9th on the Bears' all-time total offense list with 4,210 yards; All-Great Plains Conference player in both 1973 and 1974; played in the CFL for over 10 years and was the QB of the Grey Cup championship team in 1980.

Alexis Gardner, Softball (1976-79)
Four-year letterwinner for the Bears in softball; competed in four Women's College World Series (finished 2nd, 4th, 2nd, 5th); three-time Intermountain Conference champions (1976, 1977, 1978); two-time all-conference pick; selected for a tryout for the 1979 Pan Am Games; holds UNC single-season record in triples (8), stolen bases (20) and batting average (.473); holds UNC career records in at-bats (393), runs scored (83), hits (133), RBI (48), triples (14), stolen bases (45) and walks (30).

Terry (Wenzinger) Goldwater, Women's Swimming (1990-94)
Ranks third on UNC's all-time career points list; Set the school records in 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle (since broken by Saree Hoopii) and is a member of three school-record holding relay teams (200 free, 400 free, 800 free); Broke 14 school records during her career; 9-time NCAA II All-American in individual events and five-times in relays; 13-time North Central Conference Champion (8 individual, 5 relay); NCC record holder in 5 events (3 individual, 2 relay); Earned "Bear Down" Award all four years; Named to CSCAA All-Academic Team in 1994; One of only four swimming and diving athletes in UNC's history to have scored in the top-8 in every individual event at the conference championships for all four years of her collegiate career; NCC Athlete of the Year (1993-94).

Mike Rogers, Wrestling (1967-69)
NCAA College Division (Div. II) Runner-up (1969); Rocky Mountain Conference champion (1968 & 1969) Mountain Intercollegiate Wrestling Association Champion (1969); University Division (Div. I) national qualifier (1968 & 1969); Tallied an overall record of 43-14-2; Went 20-4-1 in his senior season which included an undefeated 13-0 record in dual meets; Team captain of the 1969 team that was NCAA Runners-up and members of the UNC Athletic Hall of Fame; All-American.

1974 Baseball Team at 2004 Induction Ceremony.

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