Kansas State Announces 2004 Hall of Fame Class

MANHATTAN, Kan. - The Kansas State Department of Athletics will honor a group of seven outstanding individuals with induction into its Athletics Hall of Fame in early September, Director of Athletics Tim Weiser announced Thursday.

The 2004 class of K-State’s Athletics Hall of Fame includes former student-athletes, Dan Lankas (football, 1964-67), Jack Parr (men’s basketball, 1955-58), Harold Robinson (football, 1949-50), Deb (Pihl) Torneden (women’s track & field, 1980, 83-84) and Craig Wilson (baseball, 1989-92), as well as former women’s basketball coach Lynn Hickey (1979-84) and supporter Howard Sherwood.

The class, which will be honored during the weekend of Kansas State’s 2004 football season opener vs. Western Kentucky, is the seventh in the history of the K-State Hall of Fame, including the charter class of 1990. The official induction of the 2004 class will take place during ceremonies on Friday, Sept. 3, at the Kansas State Alumni Center. The class will also be recognized at halftime of the game against Western Kentucky on Sept. 4.

Tickets for the dinner and induction ceremony, which gets underway at 6 p.m., are $75 and can be purchased by calling the KSU Athletic Department at (785) 532-6912.

The following is a quick look at the new Hall of Famers...

DAN LANKAS

Football, 1964-67

A first team All-Big Eight linebacker in 1966 and 1967... Named to the Big Eight all-academic team in 1967... Holds the record for the best two-season tackle total in school history with 353 in 1966 (175) and 1967 (178)... His 178 total tackles in 1967 rank second all-time on K-State’s single-season chart... Hold the school record for tackles in a game with 28 vs. Missouri in 1967... Ranks sixth all-time in tackles at Kansas State with 363... Is currently a successful high school football coach in Atwood, Kan., guiding his team to three state 2A titles, 10 league championships, 12 district titles and winning season in 17 of 19 years as a coach.

JACK PARR

Men’s Basketball, 1955-58

A first team All-American in 1957 and 1958 and two-time All-Big Seven selection... Led Kansas State to back-to-back conference titles and NCAA Tournament appearances... Helped the Wildcats reach the 1958 Final Four... Ranks second on K-State’s career rebounding list with 889 boards and 10th all-time in career scoring with 1,184 points... Still holds Kansas State’s single-season rebounding record with 340... A member of K-State’s All-Century men’s basketball team... Currently resides in Salina, Kan.

HAROLD ROBINSON

Football, 1949-50

Kansas State’s first African-American student-athlete... Effectively broke the color barrier in the Big Seven Conference, becoming the first African-American to be awarded an athletic scholarship as a sophomore in 1949... Earned first team All-Big Seven honors as a center in 1950, despite playing on a 1-9-1 team... Went on to serve his country during the Korean War, earning a purple heart... Currently resides in Wharton, New Jersey.

DEB (PIHL) TORNEDEN

Women’s Track & Field, 1980, 83-84

One of the all-time great female middle distance runners at Kansas State... A four-time All-American.. Captured eight Big Eight Conference titles... The 1984 Big Eight Female Athlete of the Year... Named Most Outstanding Performer at the 1984 Big Eight Indoor Track & Field Championships... Set three Big Eight indoor records and two conference outdoor marks during her career... Ran the world’s best 1,000-yard indoor time in 1984... Still holds Kansas State records for the indoor mile (4:39.06) and outdoor 3,000 meters (9:09.60)... Went on to qualify for the U.S. Olympic trials in 1984, 1992, 1996 and 2000... Served as an assistant track & field and cross country coach at Butler County Community College from 1992-1999... Grew up in Falun, Kan., and currently resides in Wichita.

CRAIG WILSON

Baseball, 1989-92

Kansas State’s first consensus baseball All-American in 1992... The 1992 Big Eight Player of the Year... Batted .416 in 1992 and led the Wildcats in every major offensive category... A first team All-Big Eight selection in 1990, 1991 and 1992... Led the Wildcats in batting average and RBI each season... A member of the 1992 U.S. Olympic baseball team and 1991 U.S. Pan American baseball team... Selected in the 13th round of the 1992 Major League Baseball draft by the Chicago White Sox... Spent the 1998, 1999 and 2000 season with the White Sox, appearing in 139 games and batting .272 with 101 hits and 40 RBI... Currently playing for the Trenton Thunder, the AA affiliate of the New York Yankees.

LYNN HICKEY

Women’s Basketball Coach, 1979-84

Compiled a 125-39 (.762) record during her tenure at Kansas State and owns the school’s best winning percentage among women’s basketball coaches... Her 125 victories rank third all-time at K-State... Guided each of her five teams into the postseason, reaching the Elite Eight of the 1982 NCAA Tournament and the Sweet 16 of both the 1983 and 1984 NCAA Tournaments... Coached Kansas State to Big Eight titles in 1983 and 1984... Led the Wildcats to the 1984 Big Eight Tournament Championship... Three of her teams finished with top-20 rankings, including a No. 7 finish by the 1984 squad... Coached K-State Hall of Famer and Kodak All-American Priscilla Gary... Also mentored four of K-State top-10 all-time scorers (Eileen Feeney, Tammy Romstad, Gayla Williams and Cassandra Jones)... Currently the Director of Athletics at the University of Texas-San Antonio.

HOWARD SHERWOOD

Honorary

A major benefactor to Kansas State Athletics since 1971... Instrumental through personal leadership and his construction companies in building many K-State Athletics facilities... A driving force in the construction of Colbert Hills Golf Course... Member of the Ahearn Scholarship Fund Advisory Board... Chairman of the Annual Colbert-Fogler Golf Classic.

Kansas State Athletics Hall of Fame

Mike Ahearn, coach and athletic director, 1904-46

Judy Akers, women’s basketball coach, 1968-79

Teri Anderson-Jourdan, track and field, 1972-76

Elden Auker, baseball, football, basketball, 1929-32

Charles Bachman, football coach, 1920-27

Thane Baker, track and field, 1951-53

Ernie Barrett, men’s basketball, 1948-51 and admin., 1969-present

Rolando Blackman, men’s basketball, 1977-81

Bob Boozer, men’s basketball, 1956-59

Fred Bramlage, honorary

Jim Colbert, men’s golf, 1961-64

Henry Cronkite, football, 1929-31

Lynn Dickey, football, 1968-70

DeLoss Dodds, coach and athletic director, 1963-81

Steve Fritz, track and field, basketball, 1988-91

Albert “Monk” Edwards, football, basketball, baseball, 1925-28

Mike Evans, men’s basketball, 1974-78

Jack Gardner, men’s basketball coach, 1940-42, 1946-53

Priscilla Gary-Sweeney, women’s basketball, 1982-83

Vince Gibson, football coach, 1967-74

Ralph Graham, football, 1931-33, football coach, 1948-50

Steve Grogan, football, 1972-74

Frank Groves, basketball, 1935-37

Elmer Hackney, football, track, wrestling, 1937-40

Kenny Harrison, men’s track and field, 1984-88

Jack Hartman, men’s basketball coach, 1970-86

Ward Haylett, football coach, 1942-44, track coach, 1928-63

Lynn Hickey, women’s basketball coach 1979-84

Dick Knostman, men’s basketball, 1951-53

Lon Kruger, men’s basketball, 1972-74; men’s basketball coach, 1986-90

Dan Lankas, football, 1964-67

George Maddox, football, 1932-34

Fred Merrill Sr., honorary

Porky Morgan, athletic trainer, 1951-80

Dev Nelson, sports info. director, 1966-72, radio voice, 1954-79

Jack Parr, men’s basketball, 1955-58

Deb Pihl, women’s track and field, 1980, 1983-84

Mitch Richmond, men’s basketball, 1986-88

Harold Robinson, football, 1949-50

Clarence Scott, football, 1968-70

Howard Shannon, men’s basketball, 1947-48

Howard Sherwood, honorary

Bob Snell, faculty athletic representative, 1975-99

Gary Spani, football, 1974-77

Oren Stoner, men’s basketball, football, track and field, 1932-35

Jacque Struckhoff, women’s track and field, 1984-88

Ken Swenson, track and field, 1968-70

Veryl Switzer, football, 1951-53

Jack and Donna Vanier, honorary

Ray Watson, track and field, 1919-21

Craig Wilson, baseball, 1989-92

Tex Winter, men’s basketball coach, 1954-68

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