UW-Superior Athletic Hall of Fame Increases
SUPERIOR, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Superior inducted eight individuals and the 2004 Yellowjacket softball team into the UW-Superior Athletic Hall of Fame on Sept. 25, in the Mertz Mortorelli Gym.
Induction into the Athletic Hall of Fame is an honor bestowed upon individuals and team members who demonstrated outstanding skill and dedication as Yellowjacket student-athletes. In addition, individual inductees are recognized for outstanding career achievement in coaching; exceptional contributions in furthering fitness, health and wellness; and substantial contributions to supporting and promoting Yellowjacket athletics.
This year’s inductees are: Joe Gayan (Class of 1980); Abby Glawe (2005); Melanie Miller (1979); Julius Erlenbach; Joe Krieg (1974); Anthony Leonardo (1967); Duane Matye (1957); Peter Susens (1976) and the 2004 Yellowjacket softball team.
Erlenbach is the recipient of the Carl Vergamini Contributions to Yellowjacket Athletics Award, Krieg is the recipient of the Lydia Thering Meritorious Service Award, and Leonardo, Matye and Susens will receive Mertz Mortorelli Coaching Achievement Awards.
Biographies of the Hall of Fame Inductees:
Joe Gayan
Gayan was a decorated two-sport athlete who lettered four times each in football and wrestling from 1976 to 1980.
On the football field, Gayan was a four-year starter at defensive tackle. In 1978 he was an All-WSUC honorable mention selection. As a senior in 1979, he served as captain of the Yellowjacket football team and was a first-team All-WSUC defensive tackle.
Gayan was an even bigger star on the wrestling mat. During his freshman year in 1976-77, he was named WSUC Rookie of the Year after placing third in the conference in the 185-pound weight category. The next year, he placed second in the WSUC in the heavyweight category and finished in eighth place in the NAIA tournament, earning him NAIA All-American honorable mention.
Abby Glawe
Glawe was an outstanding five-year athlete at UWS, participating in basketball, softball and volleyball with the Yellowjackets from 2000-05. She enters the Hall of Fame as an individual as well as a member of the 2004 Yellowjacket softball team.
Glawe was a four-year letter-winner in basketball, and was named the team’s most dedicated player in 2001-02. She received the same honor with the 2003 volleyball team.
It was on the softball diamond, however, that Glawe made her most indelible mark. She was a first team All-WIAC selection and an All-Great Lakes Region third team member. Her teammates voted her the team’s most valuable player in 2004, the year she went 33-8 on the mound and helped the Yellowjackets win the WIAC tournament and advance to the NCAA regional tournament. In 2004 she was also named the UWS outstanding female athlete.
Melanie Miller
Miller was a pioneering woman athlete at UWS, one of the first to compete in multiple sports while with the Yellowjackets. She was a three-sport star with the Yellowjackets from 1976-79, excelling in basketball, track and volleyball.
Miller competed for three seasons of basketball and volleyball and one season of track at UWS. A three-year starter on the basketball team, she was a co-captain for all three seasons and three times was a WWIAA all-conference second team selection. She also was an all-conference nominee following the 1976 volleyball season. In her one season participating in track, Miller qualified for the conference meet in both the hurdles and the javelin.
Dr. Julius Erlenbach
Erlenbach spent 14 years as chancellor at UWS, retiring Aug. 1. He had an enormous impact on the success of UWS athletics and has left a legacy that will be felt by student-athletes for many years.
An avid and knowledgeable Yellowjacket fan, Erlenbach can be found sitting high in the stands at most games and matches, cheering and encouraging Yellowjacket athletes as they compete. During his time at UWS, the Marcovich Wellness Center was constructed, significant renovations were made to Wessman Arena and a new soccer field was installed behind Ross Hall. Men’s and women’s soccer and women’s hockey were added as varsity sports during his time as chancellor. Also under his leadership, Yellowjacket athletes competed at the highest levels of competition, bringing home national championships, conference awards and championships and great recognition to the campus.
Joseph Krieg
Krieg was a four-year letter-winner in both hockey and track at UWS, graduating in 1974 with a degree in education. The lessons he learned on the field and in the classroom, combined with his desire to make a difference in the lives of others, have allowed him to become such a valuable member of the community.
Krieg has been a tireless servant to the community since graduating. From his work as a volunteer coach and official with Superior’s youth sports programs to his dedication as a proud alumnus of UWS, Krieg has shown a willingness to step up and serve those around him. That attitude has been most apparent during his long and distinguished career in law enforcement. A senior member of the Superior Police Department, Krieg has been tested and promoted through the ranks of detective and sergeant. For the past 16 years, he has been a respected member of the detective bureau, where he is currently the master senior member.
Krieg and his wife of 37 years, Deb, a former UWS Alumni Board of Director, have three adult children, Tanya Krieg of Lake Nebagamon, an elementary teacher in the Northwestern School District, Trishya (Erich) Brown of Racine, the operations manager of Interra Health, and Dr. Jake Americo Krieg of Columbia, S.C. and two grandchildren, Noah and Baiya. Joe and Deb Krieg reside outside Superior, where Joe has also served two elected terms as a supervisor for the Town of Hughes.
Anthony J. Leonardo
Leonardo had a successful career as a Yellowjacket athlete, culminating with his graduation in 1967 with a bachelor of science degree in education. From there, he became a distinguished educator, coach and administrator with a career that spanned 35 years.
As an athlete, Leonardo was a standout wrestler for the Yellowjackets. In four years, he compiled a record of 74-10, winning three conference championships and qualifying for four NAIA national meets, finishing fifth during his senior year of 1966-67.
Leonardo took his first position in coaching with the Beecher School District in Flint, Mich., in 1967. There he coached three sports and brought Beecher its first state championship in school history. As Beecher’s freshman football coach, he guided the team to two undefeated seasons and two conference championships. In 1976 he moved on to Grand Blanc (Mich.) High School where he once again produced the first state champions in school history. Ten of his wrestlers were district champions, 10 were conference champions, six were regional champions and 12 qualified for state meets.
Duane Matye
Matye was a four-year starter and letter-winner as a Yellowjacket football player, graduating from UWS in 1957. Later, he coached high school football in Wisconsin for 32 years, including 30 at Osseo-Fairchild High School.
Matye was football coach at Northwood School in Minong for two years, followed by a two-year stint as an assistant coach at Oconto Falls High School, before embarking on a legendary career at Osseo-Fairchild. Under his leadership, OFHS became a small-school football powerhouse, winning three state championships and twice being runners-up. Upon his retirement from coaching, no school had more state championship appearances.
Peter Susens
Susens was a four-year letter-winner for the Yellowjacket baseball team from 1972-76, capturing an all-conference honor in 1975 and graduating in 1976 with a bachelor of science degree in accounting and business education. With a coaching career that started during his time at UWS, he began mentoring young athletes in 1974 and today, 36 years later, is still having an impact.
While still competing for the Yellowjackets, Susens coached youth hockey with the Superior Amateur Hockey Association at the squirt and pee wee levels. After graduating, he began teaching and coaching at Wausau West High School, where he is active today.
Susens was the freshman baseball coach for two years, junior varsity baseball coach for three years, and the varsity baseball coach for two years at WWHS. After a hiatus, Susens returned to coaching baseball in 1998 and today serves as an assistant coach with the WWHS varsity.
On the ice Susens also has made a mark. In 30 years as a head coach at WWHS, he has crafted a record of 447-200-21. His teams have won six conference championships and advanced to the state tournament on nine occasions.
2004 Softball Team
The team was a dynamic combination of offense and pitching that rode a 13-game winning streak to a third-place finish in the WIAC regular season standings and, ultimately, the WIAC playoff championship. The tournament victory earned the Yellowjackets a berth in the NCAA regional tournament, where the team won a pair of games, advancing further into NCAA play than any softball team in UWS history.
The Roger Plachta coached squad had an overall record of 34-10, including a 10-6 record in the WIAC. Plachta’s assistant coach was Mike Sylvester.
Team members include: Tiffani Anderson, Jamie Bang, Katie Beadles, Monica Brzezinski, Erin Campbell, Kathleen Duffy, Abby Glawe, Amy Jo Stach, Kristi Jurek, Eric Kegley, Anne LeBard, Katie Moench, Melissa Nelmark, Allison Ohms, Courtney Pulsifer and Sarah Tarasewicz
First team All-WIAC selections that year were Bang, Glawe and Kegley, who was also a third-team All-American selection.
Hall of Fame History
The first inductions into the UWS Hall of Fame took place in April, 1963. Since then, more than 120 individuals and 13 teams have been inducted. Each inductee is recognized with a commemorative plaque that is displayed in the UW-Superior Hall of Fame located on campus.
Inductees to the Hall of Fame are selected each year by UW-Superior’s Hall of Fame Committee. For an entire list of Hall of Fame members, or to nominate an individual or a team to the Hall of Fame, go to www.uwsuper.edu/alumni/halloffame/index.cfm
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