• Adobe Acrobat .PDF file
• Microsoft Word .DOC file

---

UCM Athletic Hall of Fame
Inductees for 2008-2009

10 individuals and one team make up the 2008-09 class of the University of Central Missouri of Athletic Hall of Fame

Joining the Hall of Fame this season are Norm Brooks (football, 1953-55) and Deb Kurka (Mann) (field hockey, softball, and basketball, 1973-77) from the early era; Connie White (Frank) (track and field, 1985-88), Pat Lindenbusch (Hempen) (volleyball, 1985-88), Susan Anderson (Punzo) (softball, 1994-97), Shane Meyer (football, 1995-98), and Zach Norman (baseball, 2001-03). Brad Hill (baseball coach, 1995-2003) will enter in the coaching category. The late John Lenox and Mike St. Louis made it in the special recognition category. The 2003 National Champion Mules Baseball team will join the Hall of Fame as well.

Early Era

Norm Brooks - Football, Tennis, and Baseball, 1953-56

The only two-time winner of the Vernon Kennedy Award in school history, he was a three-sport athlete at Central Missouri, earning first-team all-conference honors at back for the football team in 1955. He also helped the Mules win their first MIAA title since 1926 during his senior year in 1956. He played quarterback for three seasons and back one season. He also lettered four years for the tennis team, winning four consecutive singles titles and three doubles titles. Brooks also lettered for the baseball team his senior year, the first year baseball was re-instated at Central Missouri.

Deb Kurka (Mann) - Field Hockey, Softball, and Basketball, 1973-77

One of the greatest female athletes in Central Missouri history, Mann was a three-sport star at UCM. A shortstop for the softball team, she is considered by many to be one of the best ever, hitting for average and power as well as good instincts on defense. Also a team leader for the field hockey and basketball teams as well, her coaches said she was a smooth athlete that made difficult plays look easy.

Modern Era

Connie White (Frank) - Track and Field, 1985-88

A three-time All-American in 1985 (in the indoor and outdoor 1,500-meter run and outdoor 3,000), she ranks in the top seven in school history in seven different events. She still holds the school record in the outdoor 1,500 (4:30.0), ranks second in the outdoor 3,000 (9:47.70), and fifth in the outdoor 5,000 (17:49.24). She also is second in both the indoor 1,000 yard run (2:41.90) and mile (4:55.24), seventh in the indoor 3,000 (10:26.74), and seventh in the indoor 800 (2:16.74).

Pat Lindenbusch (Hempen) - Volleyball and Basketball, 1985-88

A three-time All-American and MIAA Most Valuable Player in 1988, Hempen was also a three-time All-MIAA selection for the Jennies volleyball squad. She ranks second in school history in block solos (193), block assists (450), and total blocks (643). Hempen also holds the school record for career hitting percentage at .403, as well as three of the top four single-season hitting percentage marks. She was named second-team on Jennies Silver Anniversary Squad (1970-94) and is one of only four three-time All-Americans in school history. She also played two years of basketball for the Jennies.

Susan Anderson (Punzo) - Softball, 1994-97

The Jennies current head softball coach, she was a three-time All-MIAA pick, including two first-team selections in 1996 and 1997. She was also a two-time NFCA All-American and three-time all-region selection. An outstanding student as well, she was an Academic All-American and received an NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship while finishing second in the Ken B. Jones Award balloting as a senior for MIAA outstanding student-athlete. She helped her team to three MIAA titles and three NCAA Tournament appearances, and ranks fourth all-time in hits (197), seventh in batting average (.329), first in career walks (64), and ranks in the top 10 in nearly every other offensive category.

Shane Meyer - Football, 1995-98

A four-time All-MIAA selection, including two first-team picks, Meyer was also first-team all-region and an All-American in 1997. The current Mules special team coach, he was a three-time Academic All-MIAA and three-time Academic All-American (second-team twice, first-team once). A kicker, he holds school records for field goals in a season (18 in 1997) and a career (49). He ranks third in career PATs (107) most consecutive field goals (eight), and career scoring (first among kickers) with 254 points. He also has two of the three record 52-yard field goals in UCM history in 1997 and 1998.

Zach Norman - Baseball, 2001-03

Norman was the 2003 MIAA Player of the Year and a second-team All-American for the Mules National Championship team. He was also a two-time first-team All-MIAA third baseman and a third-team All-American in 2002. He ranks second in school history in home runs (37) and RBI (199). He is also seventh in runs scored (193), fifth in doubles (56), and ninth in hits (221) with a career batting average of .368. All three teams he played on finished in the top three at the Division II World Series, going 53-10, 54-8, and 51-7. After his junior season (2003), he was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies.

Coaching

Brad Hill - Baseball, 1995-2003

The winningest coach in Mules baseball history, he posted a 418-91 overall record, including the 2003 Division II National Championship. He won eight MIAA titles in nine seasons and was named the conference coach of the year seven times. Hill was also the NCAA Region Coach of the Year seven times, and won National Coach of the Year in 2003. He led his teams to seven regional titles and finished in the top five at the Division II World Series six times.

Special Recognition

John Lenox

A member of the UCM Board of Governors from 1997-2002, the late Lenox also attended Central Missouri, playing basketball for the Mules from 1951-55. He led UCM in rebounding each year and was a leading scorer team captain one year as well. Lenox was named President and CEO of Shelter Insurance in 1997 after working with the company since 1961. He was also a charter member of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Board.

Mike St. Louis

He attended Central Missouri in 1967, playing football for the Mules. He was named first-team All-MIAA at offensive tackle that year, and also to the All-American team that season. After that, he was drafted in the 13th round by the Washington Redskins. He played two seasons in the Canadian Football League for the British Columbia Lions. A career educator, he also competed nationally in bicycling, tennis, and table tennis.

Teams

2003 Mules Baseball

The 2003 Mules baseball team won the second NCAA Division II National Championship in program history. They went 51-7 overall and 27-2 in the MIAA, winning the conference and regional titles in the process. Head Coach Brad Hill’s squad was paced by starting pitchers Danny Powers, Phil Sobkow and Nick Denning, as well as closer Eric Horner. All-Americans Zach Norman and Joe Strada led a powerful Mule lineup that finished fifth in the nation in batting average at .363. They also ranked seventh in the country in ERA and sixth in fielding.

With the 2008-09 inductees, the Central Missouri Athletic Hall of Fame will consist of 145 individuals and 44 teams.