Buffs Forever Obituaries
The Colorado athletic department and the Alumni C Club dedicate this page to our former Buffaloes who have passed on. Our list is solely based on information we receive on the passing of former Buffaloes from news accounts, teammates and family members. If you know of a former Buffalo that has passed on, please contact the Alumni C Club at 303-492-0622 or alumnicclub@cufund.org.
We realize that we are missing many Buffaloes who passed prior to the Internet age; anyone wishing to submit information from any point in time, we welcome that as well and will include what you make known to us; send that info to alumnicclub@colorado.edu.
Pick a letter to scroll to the last name.
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
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Julie Abendroth played in 60 games for the Buffaloes, helping Colorado to its first two AIAW National Tournament appearances in 1981 and '82. A 6-foot-2 post player from Chula Vista, Calif., she earned her bachelor's from CU (1985), master's from Oregon (1988) and doctorate from Northern Colorado (1993). Abendroth was an Associate Professor of Biomechanics and Exercise Science at Willamette (Ore.) University, when she passed away unexpectedly following a seizure on Jan. 5, 2011. |
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Loy Alexander was a three-year letterwinner as a wide receiver for the football team in the mid-80s. A three-year starter, he had 78 catches for 1,107 yards and eight touchdowns. He passed away on Jan. 24, 2020, at the age of 56. |
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Defensive Tackle Troy Archer came to CU as a junior college transfer. His first year on campus in 1974 he was second on the team with 71 total tackles and had 11 tackles for a loss leading the team that season. In 1975, his senior season, he had 105 total tackles which was second on the team and again led the Buffs with 12 tackles for a loss. Archer was drafted by the New York Giants in the first round of the 1976 NFL Draft and played in 38 games over three seasons (1976-78) for the Giants. He passed away at the age of 24 following a fatal car accident on June 22, 1979. |
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Pete Atkins, a member of the CU Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2016, was one of the best pitchers in CU baseball history. He was a two-time first-team All-Mountain States Conference selection. In 1941 he was 7-0 with 70 strikeouts in 61 innings and a 2.93 ERA. He had 19 strikeouts in a season-opening 7-4 win over Colorado Mines. He was unbeaten again as a senior in 1942. After graduating from CU with three degrees (A&S'43, MD'45 and MSci'53) and serving in the Medical Corps of the U.S. Army (1946-48), he went on to be recognized as one of the top urologists in the nation. Atkins passed away on Sept. 6, 2010, at the age of 88. |
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A highly recruited quarterback out of Vista, Calif., Sal Aunese led Colorado in rushing yards (612) and touchdowns (6) in 1987. As a junior in 1988, Aunese led the Buffaloes to an 8-4 record, CU's best record since 1976, and a berth in the '88 Freedom Bowl. In February of 1989 he was diagnosed with inoperable stomach cancer, giving him only six months to live. Aunese fought, but eventually succumbed to the cancer on September 23, 1989. Aunese's untimely death inspired the CU football team who dedicated the 1989 season to their fallen leader. CU finished that year with the best regular season in school history with a perfect 11-0 record. The Buffs were unable to capture the national title after losing to Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl. A year later, however, CU defeated Notre Dame to capture the 1990 national title...more |
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Lynn Baker was a four-year letterwinner and played in 75 games over that span. For his career he had 685 points, 11th in school history at that time, an average of 9.1 per game. As a senior he led the Buffs to a 17-8 record with 12.8 points per game and was named second-team All-Big Eight. Baker passed away on Feb. 17, 2019, at the age of 74. |
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John Bayuk was one of the best fullbacks of his time, rushing for 22 touchdowns over three seasons and leading the Buffs to an Orange Bowl win as a senior. In addition to nine rushing touchdowns in 1956, he also added one receiving and one more on special teams to earn first-team All-America honors. He passed away on Sept. 12, 2016, at the age of 82. |
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Bob Beattie was the head coach of the first national championship team in any sport at CU and led the skiing program for nine years. He coached the Buffs to back-to-back national championships in 1959 and 1960. He also guided CU to three national runner-up finishes and four RMISA titles, as well as 13 individual national championships. He also was named the U.S. Olympic Alpine Ski Coach in 1961, helping two Americans to medals at Innsbruck in 1964. After coaching, he became a renowned sportscaster for ABC. Beattie passed away on April 1, 2018, at the age of 85...more. |
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Mel Beckett graduated from CU in 1950 after lettering on the gymnastics squad. After graduation, he pursued a professional engineering career in Denver, forming the Beckett Engineering Company in 1960. He also developed commercial projects in Denver and at the Copper Mountain Ski Resort. He passed away at the age of 79 on Dec. 25, 2007. |
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John Bennett played two seasons for Colorado after transferring from San Francisco Junior College where he was the 1983 Golden State Junior College Conference Defensive Back of the Year. Bennett totaled 70 tackles, including 37 solo, in his two seasons at Colorado and logged six starts. He passed away in 2006. |
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Todd “Moose” Benson was a Ralphie Handler for five years as an undergraduate (1981-85) and then worked with program director John Parker to select handlers for three more. He joined the CU athletic department in 1989, first working as the assistant ticket manager before he transitioned into game day operations and information systems, overseeing IT operations and the inaugural roll-out of CUBuffs.com. Benson passed away on Feb. 17, 2017, at the age of 55. |
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Joan Birkland was a pioneer in women’s sports at both CU and in the state of Colorado. In a time before varsity women’s athletics, she amassed numerous trophies in golf and tennis. She remained an avid supporter of the Buffs her entire life after graduating from CU and was a co-founder of the Sportswomen of Colorado and its executive director for 40 years. Birkland was a member of the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame, the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame and the Colorado Tennis Hall of Fame. She passed away on June 14, 2019, at the age of 90. |
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Ken Blair lettered three years from 1960 to 1962 as an end. A two-year starter, he had 47 receptions for 591 yards and three touchdowns in his career. He helped the Buffs to the 1961 Big Eight championship and was named first-team All-Big Eight as a senior. He passed away on March 6, 2019. |
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Ralyn "Bud" Bocker played one season with the Buffs and appeared in one game, scoring two points in 1967-68. He passed away on May 23, 2019, at the age of 71. |
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Cliff Branch was one of the greatest two-sport athletes in CU history and was inducted into CU’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010. In 1971 he was a first-team All-American as a wide receiver and kick returner in football. He set NCAA career records with eight kick returns for touchdowns (six punt, two kickoff) and went on to be a four-time NFL All-Pro with the Oakland Raiders. In track he clocked a 10.0 100-meter dash at the 1972 NCAA Outdoor Championships, still a CU record. He passed away on Aug. 1, 2019, at the age of 71...more. |
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Paul Briggs came to CU in the heat of World War II. He played for the Buffs as a freshman and sophomore in 1942 and 1943 then went to serve his country. While in service he earned many medals for his bravery including the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. When he returned for the 1946 and 1947 seasons he became an All-Mountain States Conference tackle both years. He was a starter on both sides of the ball for the Detroit Lions for a season before his career got cut short because of injuries. Briggs coached football at the high school and college levels for 56 years, retiring in 2006. He passed away at the age of 90 on February 14, 2011. |
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Dean Brittenham was CU’s track and cross country coach for four seasons and previously served as a recruiter for the football team. He went on to be a coach in the NFL and worked at the National Institute for Fitness and Sport. In 1995 he and his wife established the Shiley Elite Athletic Excellence Program at Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, Calif. He trained numerous world-class athletes during his career including Gale Sayers and Venus and Serena Williams. Brittenham passed away on June 25, 2015, on his 84th birthday. |
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Tom Brookshier lettered three seasons at defensive right halfback and fullback in the old platoon days of the sport, earning a reputation as one of the fiercest hitters in the Big 7 Conference. He earned first-team All-Big 7 honors as a junior and senior and in 1989, was named honorable mention on CU's All-Century team. A native of Roswell, N.M., Brookshier was also a pitcher on the Buffalo baseball team, mostly in relief. He won an NFL title with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1960 and after his retirement in 1961 he enjoyed a long career in broadcasting. He passed away on January 29, 2010 at the age of 78..more |
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CU's first truly accomplished skier emerged as such in the eighth year of the program as a sophomore in 1957, as he earned All-America honors in both alpine and Nordic action. He would earn the same honors in both as a junior and senior, becoming the school's first three-time All-American in any sport ... more. |
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Irv Brown was CU’s head baseball coach for nine seasons and compiled a 224-158-2 record. His .586 winning percentage is the highest in school history and he was the second-longest-tenured coach in program history. Two of his players, John Stearns and Jay Howell, reached the Major Leagues. He was a renowned sportscaster in Denver and was one of the top basketball officials in the NCAA, officiating six Final Fours. Brown passed away on Feb. 3, 2019, at the age of 83...more. |
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Bill Brundige, a member of CU’s 2016 Athletic Hall of Fame Class, was a first-team All-American in 1969 and the Big Eight Conference Defensive Player of the Year. That year he had school records of 24 tackles for loss and 13 sacks. Also a first-team Academic All-Big Eight selection, he finished his career with 149 tackles and 37 TFLs. Brundige went on to an eight-year NFL career with Washington and played in Super Bowl VII after the 1972 season. He passed away on Dec. 29, 2018, at the age of 70...more. |
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Tom Cain lettered for Colorado in 1951, a year after transferring to the Buffaloes from Notre Dame. A Chicago native, Cain was a regular starter for the Buffaloes at right guard on a team that finished 7-3 and runners-up in the Big 7 Conference. He played two games in 1952, most notably being named Outstanding Lineman of the Game in CU's 21-21 tie with defending national champion Oklahoma. After a stint in the Army, he returned to Boulder where he owned the Lamp Post restaurant and retired as coordinator of food services at the Boulder branch of IBM. Cain passed away in 2002. |
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One of the best tight ends in CU history, J.V. Cain led Colorado in receptions in 1972 and 1973. He was a consensus All-Big Eight player both his junior and senior seasons. Cain was the No. 7 overall pick by the Saint Louis Cardinals in the 1974 NFL Draft. He died on July 22, 1979 - his 28th birthday - of congenital heart failure during training camp. His 88 number has been retired by the Cardinals. |
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Larry Call lettered in 1956 and 1957 as an offensive tackle. He helped the Buffs to the Orange Bowl in 1956. He passed away on Oct. 5, 2018, at the age of 81. |
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Ron Campbell lettered in 1955 in track and competed in the javelin and hurdles. He passed away on Jan. 24, 2017, at the age of 82. |
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Fred Casotti was a prominent member of CU’s athletics department for 35 years, working at sports information director from 1952 to until 1968, when he was promoted to associate athletic director. In 1985, nearing retirement, he took the title of special assistant to athletic director Bill Marolt and held that position until retiring in 1987. He was inducted into CU’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006 and is also a member of the College Sports Information Directors of America and Colorado Sports halls of fame. Casotti was a 1949 graduate of CU with a degree in journalism. He passed away in 2001 at the age of 77. |
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Alan Cass began his career at CU in 1959 and never left. His career began in Macky Auditorium working as a sound and lighting technician and stage manager. He quickly was promoted to director and eventually moved over to athletics, being named director of the Coors Events/Conference Center in 1985. Buffs fans knew his voice well as he served as the public address announcer for nearly 30 years for CU football and basketball, also performing the same role for the Denver Broncos. He retired from CU in 1998 after 38 years on campus. Cass passed away on April 18, 2018, at the age of 77...more. |
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Stephanie Chiang lettered three years for Colorado, playing in 96 career matches and 320 career games as a defensive specialist. She recorded 401 career digs and was the 1991 Big Eight Backcourt Specialist of the Year. Chiang received her degree in International Business from the University of Colorado. She would work for Tyco Healthcare out of Houston as a regional manager before her passing on Aug. 25, 2006...more |
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Lennie Ciufo was a three-year letterwinner from 1971-73. He made 169 tackles with 14 tackles for loss and five sacks as a three-year starter on the defensive line. He led the Buffs to two bowl games during that time. Ciufo passed away on Feb. 1, 2020, at the age of 69. |
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William "Buzz" Clark was an assistant coach for CU’s gymnastics team from 1977 to 1980, helping the team to a top-10 national ranking. He passed away on June 28, 2017, at the age of 76. |
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Frank Clarke, a member of CU’s 2008 Athletic Hall of Fame class, was among the best ends and was also the first African-American varsity football player in CU history. He lettered two years in 1955 and 1956 and was an All-Big Seven honorable mention selection as a junior when he was second in the league in receiving. He went on to an 11-year NFL career with the Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys. His final game as a pro was the 1967 NFL Championship, known as the “Ice Bowl.” He passed away on July 25, 2018, at the age of 84...more. |
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Mel Coffman was known as a player that worked harder than the rest and didn't shy away from pressure situations. He had a sensational game in 1955 when he held Iowa's best scorer Carl Cain to one point and ended the game with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Coffman averaged 5.8 points and 4.8 rebounds his junior season as he helped lead the Buffs to their first and only Final Four appearance in 1955. Coffman maintained ties with CU and started the Living Legends program with the Alumni C Club. He passed away after a battle with throat cancer in April 2005. |
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Ray Cone played football for three seasons from 1980 to 1982 as a linebacker. He was voted team MVP after recording a school-record 182 tackles (which still stands), including five for loss and two sacks as a senior. Teamed with his younger brother Marty to form the “Coneheads” (the two would wear cones on their helmets in spring alumni games), he died in November 2009 at the age of 48. |
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John Cosgrove lettered as a linebacker in 1971 and helped the Buffs to a 10-2 record and the Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl. He passed away on Feb. 16, 2017. |
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Nick Counter came to Colorado as a multi-sport athlete from Denver East High School as a football and baseball player. In baseball, he pitched and played left field for the Buffaloes. His best season came in 1961, batting .315 with four home runs and 18 RBI. On the mound he was 3-4 with a 5.93 ERA. In football he received a handful of carries and had one career touchdown with the Buffs, lettering in 1959. Counter passed away in 2009. |
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Frosty Cox, a member of CU’s Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2014, coached men’s basketball for 13 seasons. He led the Buffs to three NCAA Tournament appearances (1940, 1942, 1946) and two NIT berths (1938, 1940), while compiling a 147-89 (.623) record. His winning percentage was the best in school history until Tad Boyle. His 1940 team won the NIT championship and the 1942 team made the NCAA Final Four. He was also an assistant football coach, coaching the backfield and All-American Byron White. Cox passed away on May 22, 1962, at the age of 54. |
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A two-time letterman at halfback on offense and in the defensive backfield, he was on CU’s first Big Eight Conference championship team as a senior in 1961. He would play for three teams for seven seasons in the NFL and following his playing days, he was an entrepreneur involved in working with kids, forming his own foundation that aided the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. He passed away from complications of the COVID-19 virus in LaQuinta, Calif., at the age of 80 on Feb. 8, 2021. |
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Isaiah Crawford was a member of CU’s football team in 2003 and 2004 as a reserve tailback. He passed away on May 28, 2017, at the age of 32. |
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Eddie Crowder compiled a 63-49-2 record in 11 seasons as head coach of the Buffaloes between 1963-73. He succeeded Harry Carlson as Athletic Director on July 1, 1965. Prominent coaching hires of Crowder's included Bill McCartney (football), Ceal Barry (basketball) and Mark Simpson (golf), three of the most successful coaches in school history. He also was a steady and guiding force in leading CU through many changes in college athletics, including the addition of women's athletics in the late 1970s. He is a member of the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame, Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame and the CU Athletic Hall of Fame. Crowder passed away on Sept. 9, 2008 at the age of 77...more |
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Gil Cruter was one of the first two African-American varsity student-athletes in Colorado history. He was a two-time NCAA high jump champion. Cruter twice set the world record in the high jump, topping out at 6-feet, 10-inches in 1936. He was a long-time teacher in the Denver Public School system (George Washington and Manual), and was active with CU's C Club for several years. Cruter became one of the first international ambassadors of all sports working for the U.S. State Department, where he worked as a diplomat in Africa through the introduction of sports clinics. A member of the second class of the CU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999, Cruter passed away on July 25, 2005, at the age of 90 ...more |
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Larry K. Cundall was a starting offensive lineman for the 1959 and 1960 CU football teams and a part of the 1961 Orange Bowl team. He was honored as a Living Legend in 2009. He worked for North American Van Lines and Ace Hardware in the Denver/Boulder area, as he and his wife Sonya settled in Niwot to raised their family, son Craig and daughter Karen. Born May 24, 1940, in Wheatland, Wyo., he passed away on December 16, 2022, in Denver at the age of 82. |
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T.J. Cunningham was a four-year letterwinner as a cornerback and wide receiver from 1992 to 1995. He had 21 receptions for 139 yards during his first two seasons before moving to defense where he had 19 pass breakups and two interceptions as a senior. He played one year in the NFL with the Seattle Seahawks in 1996. He passed away on Feb. 18, 2019, at the age of 46. |
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A member of CU’s Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2014, Jim Davis was one of the best players in CU basketball history, scoring 1,110 career points and grabbing 863 rebounds. He graduated as the school’s all-time leader in rebounds and third in scoring. As a senior he averaged 18.5 points and 12.7 rebounds helping him to his second straight first-team All-Big Eight selection. During his three seasons, he led the Buffs to a combined 54-24 record, two Big Eight championships, and two NCAA Tournament appearances. Davis passed away on Dec. 27, 2018, at the age of 76...more. |
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Kent Davis was a four-year letterwinner as a safety from 1980 to 1984. He was a two-year starter and had three interceptions as a junior in 1983. He passed away in December 2017. |
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Hal Donnelly was a three-year letterwinner in swimming for CU in the early 1950s. His best event was the breaststroke, where he had several top-three finishes in his career. He graduated from CU with a degree in civil engineering in 1955. Following a two-year stint in the Navy, he worked as a structural engineer at Coors Brewing Company in Golden. Donnelly spent 56 years on CU’s Alumni C Club board, one of the longest-serving board members. He passed away at the age of 89 on Sept. 4, 2020. More... |
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Wayne Duke was CU’s sports information director in 1951. He went on to be commissioner of the Big Eight and Big Ten Conferences. His efforts helped expand the NCAA basketball tournament. Duke passed away on March 29, 2017, at the age of 88. |
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Keith English had a stellar year in 1988 as Colorado's punter. He was the first Buff to lead the nation in punting in 38 years and National Player of the Week on Sept. 24, 1988 when he averaged 59.8 yards on five punts against Oregon State. English, who also played tight end early in his CU career, finished with a 44.67 career punting average, ranking second best in school history when he graduated. English, who played in the NFL for the Los Angeles Rams, was the director of human resources for VICORP Restaurants (Village Inn) at the time of his death in 2010 at the age of 44...more |
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Chuck Fairbanks served as head coach of the CU football program from 1979-81, compiling a 7-26 record. Fairbanks made a name for himself at Oklahoma, where he compiled a 52-15-1 record as the Sooners' head coach from 1967-72 and coached the New England Patriots for six seasons before coming to Boulder. He passed away on Aprl 2, 2013 in Scottsdale, Ariz., at the age of 79...more |
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Bill Fanning was an All-Big Seven Conference selection in 1947 as a pitcher and utility infielder. He graduated from Colorado in 1950, and after a three-year teaching job in Nebraska, he joined Grand Junction High School in 1954 and enjoyed a storied 35-year baseball coaching career which included 21 state appearances and three state titles. Fanning was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame in 2002. He passed away on February 8, 2013, in Grand Junction at the age of 91...more |
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Larry Flanders and the Buffaloes in 1936 defended their Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Eastern Division Golf Championship by defeating the Colorado School of Mines by 16 strokes. In his senior season, Colorado won their fourth consecutive Division title with Flanders leading the way as CU's number one golfer. Flanders earned his law degree in 1941 and joined the Navy in 1942, serving on the USS Nevada during World War II. He returned to his native Longmont where he was a lawyer and a 23-year member of the water board. He passed away on July 9, 2008 at the age of 91. |
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Laura Sharpe Flood was a CU alpine skier who finished 12th in the giant slalom and 20th in the slalom at her lone NCAA Championship appearance in 1988. On April 3, 1989, Flood lost control on an early morning training run and was killed. In her memory, the team named an award in her honor beginning in 1991 for the skier that best exemplifies the spirit, enthusiasm and dedication, both on the mountain and in the classroom. CU's annual skiing invitational also bears her name. |
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Bill Frank lettered as an offensive tackle in 1961, helping the Buffs to the Big Eight championship and a 9-2 record. He played one year in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys in 1964. He passed away on June 26, 2014, at the age of 76. |
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Bob Frederic lettered for the Buffaloes as a center in 1945. Frederic and the Buffs finished the season with a 5-3 record including big wins over Utah and Colorado State. Frederic passed away in 2002. |
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Pat Frink was a three-time All-Big Eight selection, graduating as the second leading scorer in team history (1,288 points) averaging 17.4 points over 74 career games. He was a third round pick by the Cincinnati Royals in the 1968 NBA Draft, averaging 2.6 points in 48 career games. Frink died in an automobile accident on May 6, 2012 near Tucson, Ariz., at the age of 67...more |
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Michael Gallagher was a two-time second-team All-American skiier for the Buffaloes. As a racer he made three Olympic teams (1964, '68 & '72) and three FIS World Championship Ski teams, and racked up an impressive nine US National titles. Gallagher went on to serve as head coach for the US Ski Team from 1980-86 and was inducted into the U.S. National Ski Hall-of-Fame in 1988. He passed away on Oct. 3, 2013, at the age of 72. |
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Lise Gausman played in one event as a freshman in 1994 before she passed away in a car accident on Nov. 12, 1994, at the age of 18. In high school, she played on the boys team and finished fourth in the state tournament as a senior. She was active in the community, teaching elementary students Spanish and spending time volunteering on the Hopi and Navajo Indian reservations in Arizona. |
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Bob Ghilotti coached Colorado's ends during the Sonny Grandelius era which culminated in the 1962 Orange Bowl appearance against LSU. He would go on to coach with the Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs of the AFL and returning to the collegiate game with California in the mid 1960's. He passed away on April 29, 2012 at the age of 89. |
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Wilky Gilmore was one of the first stars that played for Sox Walseth. In Gilmore's three seasons with Colorado, the Buffaloes went 13-11, 15-10, and 19-7 with a trip to the NCAA Midwest Regional finals where CU lost to the eventual national champion Cincinnati. He averaged 14.8 points and 8.4 rebounds a game throughout his career. Gilmore passed away from a heart attack in 1993 at the age of 53. |
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Mike Glynn succeeded Rick George as Bill McCartney’s second director of football operations and recruiting. He was a member of CU’s football staff on the 1990 national championship team. Glynn passed away on July 30, 2016, at the age of 60. |
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Sonny Grandelius was 20-11 in three years as head coach of the football team from 1959-61. His first season, the Buffaloes posted a 5-5 record after starting 0-3. His second season, CU improved to 6-4 and finished second in the Big 8. His third and final season at CU was one of the most memorable seasons in school history. Colorado started the year 6-0, including a win over No. 10 Missouri in Boulder. Grandelius guided the Buffaloes to their first ever undefeated conference record in the Big 8 and an Orange Bowl berth against Louisiana State. The Buffs ultimately lost to LSU to finish 9-2 on the year. He passed away on April 25, 2008 at the age of 79. |
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Steve Graves lettered two years in 1965 and 1966 as a defensive back. He had an interception and 15 tackles in 1966. He passed away on May 17, 2018, at the age of 72. |
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Bob Greenfield (later changed his name to Bob Foss to recognize his grandparents, who raised him) lettered four years in track in the 1950s as a middle-distance runner. He was a member of the nation’s fastest two-mile relay team in 1959 as the group ran 7:35.4 at the Texas Relays. But his CU legacy extended far beyond the track as he was a volunteer with the alpine ski team for 30 years. Living in Nederland, he was competing in the Masters Ski Racing and was already working with CU’s team when Richard Rokos arrived as an assistant coach in 1988. When Rokos was elevated to head coach, Foss became even more involved in training sessions and has even appeared in team photos throughout the years. He passed away on Sept. 6, 2020, at the age of 84...More. |
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Bill Haase finished seventh in the trampoline, ninth in tumbling and ninth in the all-around at the 1950 NCAA Gymnastics Championships. He was fifth on the trampoline at the 1949 NCAA meet. After graduation, Haase founded the Midwest Gymnastics Association in the Chicago area, where he placed 1st all around in the central AAU championships, and later won two medals in the Canadian AAU meet.He passed away on Mar. 30, 2021, in Munster, Ind., at the age of 91. |
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James "Slick" Haley, was a 10 time letter-winner at Colorado. He earned his nickname while playing football for his ability to evade defenders as a quarterback and a running back. He lettered three seasons in basketball, two times in track, twice in baseball and three times in football. He coached all sports at Lamar High School until 1933 when he came back to CU to get a medical degree, which he earned in 1938. Haley was a surgeon for the U.S. Army in the South Pacific during World War II and was a general practitioner in Longmont until retiring in 1981.He passed away in 2002 at the age of 93. |
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Jamie Hallum was a top decathlete and the No. 1 javelin man as a senior in 1989, when he earned Academic All-Big 8 honors. He had joined the football team as a walk on split end as a true freshman in 1984 and eventually turned to track to make a lasting mark on CU athletics. Hallum passed away on April 18, 2005 after a seven-month battle with melanoma cancer. |
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John Hamer was a three-year letterwinner from 1961-64. He helped the Buffs to a pair of third-place finishes at the Big Eight Championships in his career, along with an 18th-place finish at the NCAA Championships in 1964. During his senior season, he was the team’s No. 1 player and finished fifth at the conference championship at 1-under par. After graduation, he went on to win several state amateur golf events. Hamer passed away on Feb. 8, 2017, at the age of 75. |
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One of the top nordic skiers in the nation at the time, Lucie Hanusova died in a snowmobile accident on January 11, 1999 in Yellowstone National Park. She was a rising sophomore from the Czech Republic and had just claimed a runner up finish in the 10k freestyle at a meet in Bozeman, Mont., only three days before her death at the age of 22. The CU ski team annually gives out the "Lucie Hanusova" award to a team member that displays "the ability to overcome adversity and challenges with smiles and enthusiasm." |
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Carroll Hardy was one of the greatest three-sport athletes in CU history and was a member of CU’s Hall of Fame Class of 2002. He earned a total of 10 letters between football, baseball and track from 1952-55. On the gridiron, he was named honorable mention All-America as a halfback in 1953 and 1954 and he rushed for 1,999 career yards. His 6.87 yards per carry is by far the best in school history. In baseball he is CU’s career batting average leader at .392 and twice batted over .400, including .447 as a senior in. Hardy also hit 15 home runs and his .688 slugging percentage is second all-time. On the track, he once ran a 9.8 in the 100-yard dash and was also proficient in jumps. Following his CU career, he played in the NFL for one season and MLB for 10 years. He was the only person ever to pinch hit for legendary Red Sox players Ted Williams and Carl Yastrzemski, while also pinch hitting for Hall of Famer Roger Maris with Cleveland in 1958. Following his playing days, he was an executive in the NFL and helped build the Denver Broncos’ “Orange Crush” defense in the 1970s. He passed away on Aug. 9, 2020, at the age of 87 due to complications from dementia...more. |
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William Harvey earned two letters for Colorado in 1986 and '87, primarily for his special teams play. A reserve defensive back from Dallas, he had 11 career total tackles and appeared in the 1986 Bluebonnet Bowl. He was shot to death in his own SUV in Denver, on Jan.13, 2010. |
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Cole Hayes lettered three years as a defensive tackle from 1986 to 1988. As a senior, he had 42 tackles, four for loss and 1.5 sacks, while helping the Buffs to the Freedom Bowl. He passed away on Feb. 27, 2017, at the age of 50. |
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Bob Heap lettered as an end for the Buffaloes in 1951. That season, Colorado posted a 7-3 record with second place finish in the Big 7 Conference. CU's only conference loss that year was to Oklahoma in Norman. A native of Evanston, Ill., Heap passed away on Dec. 22, 2007. |
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A three-time letterman, Jimmie Heuga was the 1963 NCAA champion in the slalom. In addition to being a two-time Olympic team member, he was also a member of two championship United States Ski Teams (1962, 1966) and skied for the national team for 10 years. His biggest accomplishment came in the 1964 Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria, when he won the Bronze Medal in the slalom. Heuga battled multiple sclerosis for four decades and became an inspirational leader in the fight against the disease. He passed away on Feb. 8, 2010 at the age of 66...more |
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An example of a true underdog story, Jim Hold came to Colorado after he only played football for one year in high school, got buried in the depth chart at Arizona, then became the best receiver in the country at Phoenix Junior College. He transferred to CU for the 1961 season and made a transition to the defensive side of the ball where he came up with a crucial turnover against Oklahoma in Colorado's huge 22-14 win in Norman which propel the Buffaloes to an undefeated Big 8 championship season (7-0) and a berth in the Orange Bowl. Hold passed away on Nov. 7, 2008 at the age of 67. |
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Betty Hoover was a prominent superfan of CU athletics for eight decades and was half of “The Twins,” along with her sister Peggy Coppom. The Twins moved to Boulder in the 1940s from Haxtun, Colo., and instantly were fans of the Buffs. After attending CU, they became lifelong season ticket holders starting in 1958. As icons of CU, the pair were celebrities at games with athletes, coaches, administrators, alumni letterwinners and fans routinely taking photos with them. T-shirt giveaways at games with their likeness on them were some of the most popular promotions. In 2017 The Twins became honorary C Club members. Betty passed away on Aug. 4, 2020, at the age of 95...more |
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Greg Horton lettered three years as an offensive lineman from 1971 to 1973. As a senior he was named first-team All-Big Eight. He played five years in the NFL with the Los Angeles Rams and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He passed away on Nov. 11, 2016, at the age of 65. |
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James Hunter was a four-year letterwinner in basketball from 1988-92. He appeared in 63 games with career averages of 9.1 points and 3.4 rebounds. His best year was his junior season when he helped CU finish 19-14 overall and third in the NIT with an average of 10.3 points per game. He was limited during his senior season with a knee injury, but still averaged 8.2 points in 25 games. Hunter passed away on Sept. 3, 2019, at the age of 49...more. |
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Kathy Jackson sent five athletes, two relay teams and the 1980 cross country squad to AIAW national competition in her two seasons as coach. A former world record holder (10K, 1,000 yards) and AAU national champion, Jackson came to CU in 1979 when Eddie Crowder merged the men's and women's programs. She resigned in July 1981, citing lack of support for track facilities and women's athletics. She had returned her focus to competitive running, but on Jan. 12, 1982, Jackson was killed after being struck by a car while running near the intersection of Pearl St. and Canyon Blvd. in Boulder. She was 27. |
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Tom Jacobs helped usher Colorado into the NCAA era as its head skiing coach from 1953-56. He led Colorado to a third place finish at the first NCAA meet in 1954 and guided the squad to a fourth place finish one year later. Jacobs. a U.S. Army veteran and 1952 Winter Olympian (Nordic combined and cross country), would go onto a successful career as a business owner in the field of skiing equipment and innovation. Jacobs was named to the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame in January 2008. He passed away at his home in Glens Falls, N.Y. on April 10, 2014, at the age of 87...more |
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Bob Jeangerard was a two-time All-Big 7 Conference first team selection and three-year letterman. He was a member of two NCAA Tournament teams (1954 & '55). He averaged 12.4 points and 6.1 rebounds during his career. As a senior, he averaged 16 points and 6.8 rebounds as CU won a then-school-best 19 games and reached the 1955 Final Four. Jeangerard was a member of the 1956 U.S. Olympic Gold Medal basketball team. He passed away on July 5, 2014, at the age of 81...more |
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Jim Jochems was a three-year letterwinner in basketball in the 1950s, appearing in 48 games with modest career averages of 3.6 points and 3.8 rebounds. But his love for CU athletics was second-to-none as he was a long-time season ticket holder in basketball and a generous donor to the athletics department. Jochems passed away on June 7, 2015, at the age of 80 from injuries resulting from a car accident...more. |
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Ryan Johanningmeier was a four-year letterwinner in football from 1996-99. Appearing in 44 games with 35 starts in his career, he was a team captain and named first-team All-Big 12 as a senior and second-team All-Big 12 as a junior. Also an excellent student, he earned second-team Academic All-Big 12 honors as a senior. He spent two years in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons before injuries cut his career short. He passed away on March 9, 2015, at the age of 38...more. |
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Fred Johnson was a three-year letterwinner in football (1948-50) as a halfback, baseball (1949-51), and in basketball (1948-51). Over three seasons on the gridiron, he caught 11 passes for 183 yards and also rushed for 49 yards on 10 carries. After CU, he coached baseball at Boulder High School, where he also taught history, physical education and driver’s education. He served as the official scorekeeper for CU men’s basketball for more than three decades. Johnson passed away on Jan. 16, 2020, at the age of 90. |
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Melvin Johnson played wingback for Colorado lettering in 1974, '75 and '77. He rushed for 309 yards on 78 career carries with a pair of touchdowns. His best year was as a sophomore in 1974 where he was the third-leading rusher for the Buffaloes with 226 yards on 56 carries. Johnson also nabbed a receiving touchdown in his only catch as a junior in 1975. Johnson was on the roster of the Kansas City Chiefs in 1979, but did not appear in a game due to injuries. He passed away at the age of 25 on March 12, 1980, after suffering from cardiac arrest during wrist surgery. |
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An assistant coach under Sonny Grandelius, Frank Johnston coached the freshman team and helped prepare a number of players that were on Colorado's 1961 Big 8 Championship team. Johnston was a lineman on Notre Dame's undefeated 1949 National Championship team, and coached in the Canadian Football League for 20 years. Johnston passed away in 1997 from pneumonia at the age of 67. |
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Jack Jorgenson played tackle for Colorado from 1949-51. He and the Buffs posted a 5-4-1 record in 1950 for the squad's first winning record since 1946, and the mark would start a string of 12 straight winning seasons. Jorgenson was on the ballot for the All-Century Colorado Football Team. He passed away in 2009. |
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Phil Kettelson lettered three years as a defensive end from 1977 to 1979. He passed away on Oct. 14, 2016, at the age of 59. |
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Mike Kinkki played in 15 games over two seasons for Colorado totaling 16 points and 14 rebounds. He was a member of the 1969 Big Eight Championship team that advanced to the NCAA Tournament. He passed away on Sept. 10, 2001 on the Hawai'ian island of Kaua'i . |
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Walt Klinker lettered three years as a center from 1959 to 1961. A two-year starter, he led the Buffs to the Big Eight championship and the Orange Bowl as a senior in 1961 when he was named honorable mention All-America. He passed away on Sept. 14, 2017, at the age of 79. |
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Dick Knowlton lettered three years as an offensive guard from 1951 to 1953. As a two-year starter, he helped the Buffs to three winning seasons. After CU, Knowlton was a longtime executive with Hormel and he coordinated a major donation that helped the Dal Ward Athletic Center to be built in 1991. He passed away on Feb. 1, 2019, at the age of 86...more. |
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Walt Koelbel played offensive and defensive end for Colorado from 1944-47, during the Buffaloes' final four seasons in the Mountain States Conference. He caught three passes for 47 yards as a junior in 1946 and capped his career with four catches for 56 yards and a touchdown in 1947. After graduating from the CU School of Business in 1947, he founded Koelbel and Co., in 1952 which would become one of Colorado's largest real estate development and management businesses. The Koelbel family name adorns CU's Leeds School of Business building. He passed away on Dec. 25, 2011, at the age of 85...more |
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“Doc” was the fourth strength and conditioning coach for the athletic department, serving 10 years in the position (twice as long as any other is school history). While he worked primarily with the football team, he did work with CU’s 15 other varsity programs during his time in Boulder (1993-2003). A ’76 graduate of Clemson, his career spanned four decades with several schools. He passed away on Feb. 9, 2022 at the age of 69. |
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Robert LaGarde played three seasons for Colorado at wing back, lettering his last two. He was a member of CU's Orange Bowl and Big Eight Co-Champion team following the 1976 season. Noted for his blazing speed, LaGarde had 10 receptions as a senior in 1977 and was third on the team in receiving yards with 172. He passed away on Oct. 19, 2011 at the age of 56 in Houma, La. |
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William "Kayo" Lam is one of the first great football players in Colorado history. As a junior in 1934 he led the nation in rushing with 906 yards, he then topped that feat the next season with 1,043 yards. In 1935 he led the country in all-purpose yardage with 2,225 yards. After serving in World War II he returned to CU as an administrator for 36 years before retiring as an assistant athletic director in 1971. He is a member of the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame and the CU Athletics Hall of Fame. Lam passed away on April 23, 1993 at the age of 81...more |
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Bill Lamont lettered three times in football (1953-55), playing quarterback and defensive back and graduated in 1956 with a bachelor’s degree in geography. Passionate for public service, Bill had a highly successful career in city planning in both Boulder and Denver, with his team of architects working on projects that included the Boulder Open Space Program, the Pearl Street Mall and set in place the rebirth of LoDo, located Coors Field and Elitch Gardens within the city and launched Denver International Airport. Married to his wife Joan for 65 years, they retired to Carbondale in 1999 where Bill passed away on Oct. 17, 2020 at the age of 86. |
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H.B. "Bebe" Lee was Colorado's head basketball coach for six seasons, most notably leading the Buffaloes to the 1955 Final Four. He was 63-74 during his tenure, but 51-38 over his final four campaigns which included two NCAA appearances (1954 & '55) and the team's first two Big Seven Conference titles. Lee spent 12 years as Athletic Director at Kansas State after leaving CU in 1956. He passed away on March 31, 2013 in Southport, N.C. at the age of 96...more |
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Donnell Leomiti was a three-year letterwinner in football from 1993-95 as a safety. As a senior he had 98 tackles, including four for loss, and he had three interceptions as a junior. He recovered a key fumble in the fourth quarter in the “Miracle in Michigan” game, when he also had 12 tackles. After his playing career, Leomiti was a graduate assistant coach at CU before going on to be the defensive coordinator at CSU-Pueblo. After he helped start the program in 2008, CSUP quickly became a national powerhouse in Division II. The ThunderWolves won the 2014 national championship behind D-2’s best defense (12.8 points per game). He was the 2019 AFCA NCAA Division II Assistant Coach of the Year and the 2018 FootballScoop Division II Coordinator of the Year. He passed away on July 4, 2020, to pancreatic cancer at the age of 47....more |
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Billy Lewis, a member of CU’s Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2008, was a three-year letterwinner and the school’s first African-American varsity basketball player. He played in 67 career games and scored 244 points with 197 rebounds. His best season was his junior year with 5.9 points per game. He joined the track team after his senior season and jumped 6-6 to finish second in the high jump at the CU Invitational. Lewis was very active during his time at CU and was the first African-American elected commissioner by the student body as ASUC and championed many human rights causes. He passed away on June 14, 2011, at the age of 72...more. |
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Emmett Lewis was the first CU men's basketball player to lead the Buffaloes in scoring for four-straight years. He earned first-team All-Big Eight honors as a senior in 1978-79, ranking second in the league in scoring at 16.9 points per game. He led the Big Eight in scoring as a sophomore at 19.6 points per game. Lewis scored 1,680 points in his four-year career which ranked second on CU's all-time list at that time. He passed away on Feb. 27, 2021, at the age of 64. |
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Bill Ley won three letters with the Colorado men's basketball team in 1948, '49 and '50. He helped the Buffaloes to a 14-7 mark in 1949-50 with a 6-6 record in Big 7 Conference play. Wins that season for CU included a 13-point comeback over Northwestern and an overtime triumph over Kansas in Boulder. Ley passed away in 2002. |
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Louis Liley played the end position on one of the most dominant CU football teams of all time. In 1937, led by Heisman candidate Byron "Whizzer" White the Buffs finished the regular season with a perfect 8-0 record while allowing at most seven points per contest, and with an average margin of victory of 27.5 points. Liley also played for the Buffs in their first season in the Mountain States Conference in 1938. Liley passed away in 2004. |
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Kyle MacIntosh earned two indoor and two outdoor letters in track & field as a hurdler. As a freshman, he was a member of the 4x100 relay team that qualified for the NCAA Championships. In 2012 he ran the team’s two fastest times in the 400 during the indoor season and place sixth at the Pac-12 Championships in the 400 hurdles in 52.38, while helping the 4x400 relay team finish fourth. He passed away on Jan. 29, 2015, at the age of 23 after a battle with cancer...more. |
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Bill Mallory was CU’s head football coach for five seasons, posting a 35-21-1 (.623) record. He guided the Buffs to two bowl games and a Big Eight championship in 1976 as the team went 8-4 with wins over No. 13 Oklahoma and No. 16 Iowa State. In 1977 the Buffs reached a No. 3 national ranking, the highest during his tenure. Mallory passed away on May 25, 2018, at the age of 82...more. |
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A three-time letter winner, Dick Mankowski played for the Buffaloes from 1962-1964. Mankowski was originally from Milwaukee before he came to Colorado. He passed away at the age of 70 on May 11, 2011. |
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Rocky Martin lettered as a linebacker in 1967 and 1968. A two-year starter, he led the team with 111 tackles in 1968. He passed away on Dec. 11, 2018. |
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Bill May played first base for the Colorado baseball team and coach Frank Prentup during the 1951 season. During that year, the Buffs went 7-11 overall and finished fourth in the conference with a 3-5 mark. May, who was from Azusa, Calif., previously attended Citrus Junior College where he played baseball and football in 1950. May earned his doctorate from USC and spent his career at the State Department of Education in Sacramento. He passed away on Feb. 9, 2008 at the age of 77. |
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After transferring from Arizona, Kevin May's time in Boulder was plagued by injuries as he only played in a total of six games during his sophomore and junior seasons, and missed his entire senior season. Yet, he showed leadership on the sidelines by helping the younger players on the team grow and develop, the same players that played in the 1990 Orange Bowl and later won the 1990 National Championship. He passed away on June 13, 2009 at the age of 41...more |
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Tennyson McCarty was a four-year letterwinner at tight end in football from 1994-97. He caught 37 passes for 311 yards and one touchdown in 42 career games. An excellent student, he was named first-team Academic All-Big Eight/12 all four seasons. After CU, he was an illusionist and did Christian ministry. He passed away in October 2007 at the age of 32. |
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Jerry McClurg was a two-year letterwinner in 1963 and 1964 as an offensive tackle. After being selected to the Blue-Gray All-Star game, he was drafted by both the Minnesota Vikings (NFL) and Kansas City Chiefs (AFL) and had a three-year career in the CFL with the Calgary Stampeders. After his football career, he was a high school sociology teacher for 30 years. McClurg passed away on May 7, 2020, at the age of 78. |
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Tom McMahon coached in over 300 NCAA Division I college football games and in 10 bowl games during his 23-year coaching career. After being an assistant coach at seven different schools, he found his way to Boulder in 1999 as Gary Barnett's co-defensive coordinator and secondary and kickoff coverage coach. In the summer of 2000, he was diagnosed with lung cancer, but continued to coach and was an inspiration for the 2000 team and the 2001 Big 12 championship squad. McMahon passed away on June 9, 2002. |
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Dick Meckley lettered in 1942 as an offensive guard and helped the team to a 7-2 record. He passed away on Feb. 13, 2016, at the age of 93. |
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All-American Cliff Meely was one of the most prolific scorers and rebounders in team history. He earned several All-America honors and set a Big Eight Conference record with 427 points in league games in 1971. Meely owns Colorado's career scoring average record at 24.3 points per game and his No. 20 jersey is just one of two retired with the CU program. He went on to play six seasons in the NBA with the Houston Rockets and the Los Angeles Lakers. He continued to be a fixture at Colorado men's and women's basketball games until the time of his death. He was inducated into CU's Athletic Hall of Fame in 2004. Meely passed away on May 28, 2013, at the age of 65...more |
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Mike Montler lettered three years from 1966 to 1968 as an offensive tackle. He started all three years and led the Buffs to the Bluebonnet Bowl in 1967. He earned first-team All-American honors as a senior and honorable mention as a junior. Montler played 10 years in the NFL with four different teams. In 1979 he was inducted into the Big Eight Hall of Fame. He passed away on Dec. 13, 2018, at the age of 74. |
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Martice Moore started 55 games in two seasons with the Buffs as a forward, scoring 723 points with career averages of 12.5 points and 6.9 rebounds (15th in school history at the time). He helped CU to the second round of the NCAA Tournament as a senior. Moore passed away on July 16, 2015, at the age of 40...more. |
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Bud Morley was a reserve quarterback under coach Dal Ward from 1955-56. He was occasionally used as a running back, wide out and on special teams as well. He was a member of the 1956 team that won the Orange Bowl that year, defeating Clemson 27-21. After college, he became a successful lawyer and race car driver. As a driver, Morley competed against some of the best teams in the world in the Canadian-American racing series and U.S. Road Racing Championships. Morley, who passed away in 2002, was posthumously inducted into the Colorado Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2005. |
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Bob Morton was an offensive lineman for coach Dal Ward and the CU football team from 1951-53. He was the usual starter at right tackle for the Buffs in 1952 and 1953. In 1953, Morton and the rest of the Buffs ended Oklahoma's 26 game non-conference losing streak with a 21-21 tie. During his time at CU, Morton was also a member of the Naval ROTC. He passed away in 2002. |
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Gary Nady lettered two years as an end from 1956 to 1957. As a junior he helped the Buffs to the Orange Bowl and as a senior he caught three touchdowns. He passed away on March 8, 2015, at the age of 81. |
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Harry Narcisian was one of the more versatile players during his time on the football team from 1947 until 1949. He played quarterback, halfback, defense and was the primary threat on kickoff and punt returns. In 1947, he threw for the second most yards at quarterback in the Buffs' three-QB system that season. The next year (1948), Narcisian led the team with 521 passing yards, 510 rushing yards and a total of eight touchdowns. He passed away in 2006. |
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As a freshman in 2010 Spencer Nelson picked up nine top 20 alpine performances and qualified for the NCAA's where he finished 21st in the giant slalom and 23rd in the slalom. On August 15 of that year, he was killed in a hiking accident while descending from Maroon Peak (a 14,156 foot mountain near Aspen) with his father and a group of friends. He was 20 years old. In 2011, the CU ski team dedicated their season to Nelson, and with their friend always in the back of their mind, the Buffs cruised past the competition, winning four regular season meets and picking up the school's 18th skiing national title...more |
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Gabe Oderberg played football at CU as an offensive guard for three seasons from 1999 to 2002 before retiring due to injuries. He continued to help the team as an intern until his graduation in 2003. He was remembered for being popular among his teammates. Oderberg died in September 2004 at the age of 23. |
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Jerry Olson was a two-year member of the basketball team, but only played one season in 1958-59. That year he averaged 4.6 points and 6.8 rebounds and helped the Buffs to a 14-10 record. Olson passed away on Nov. 19, 2017, at the age of 80. |
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Herb Orvis was a three-year letterwinner from 1969-71 in football as a defensive end. He was also a member of CU’s Hall of Fame Class of 2014. He was a key part of CU’s 1969 Liberty Bowl and 1971 Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl champion teams. A consensus All-American as a senior and two-time All-Big Eight performer, he had 144 tackles, 26 for loss and 17 sacks during his sophomore and junior seasons, before recording three sacks and six tackles for loss despite missing three games due to injury as a senior. He played in 122 NFL games with the Detroit Lions and Baltimore Colts over 10 seasons and was a second-team All-NFC performer for the Lions in 1975. Orvis passed away on Aug. 14, 2020, at age 73 after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease...more. |
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Pat Patten was a three sport athlete, but he excelled in wrestling where he won two Mountain States Conference titles and was a two-time Rocky Mountain AAU Tournament champion. He finished his collegiate career with seven letters in wrestling, cross country and track. Patten cut his collegiate career in half as he served in the Army during World War II between 1942 and 1946. After CU, he taught and coached at Boulder High School and spent 12 years as a member of the United States Olympic Committee. In 2000, he was inducted into the CU Athletic Hall of Fame. He passed away on Feb. 24, 2007...more. |
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Stacy Patterson lettered at defensive tackle for the 1995-96 seasons. He remained in Colorado after graduating from Colorado and worked in the medical and psychiatric fields. He was also an assistant football coach at Standley Lake High School in Westminster. He passed away on April 11, 2020, at the age of 46...more. |
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Don Piper was a reserve quarterback for the CU football team and lettered in 1953. Although being under center was his specialty, Piper contributed in other areas on the field as he was second on the team with six pass receptions for 65 yards, rushed for 13 yards on six carries, completed his only pass and went 9-of-10 on extra point kicks. Piper passed away on Jan. 23, 2001 at the age of 66. |
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Rene Portland was the women’s basketball head coach for two seasons from 1978-80. She compiled a 40-20 record. Her second team in 1979-80 won the Mountain Division of the Intermountain Conference and advanced to the semifinals of the Region VII playoffs. After CU, she went to Penn State, where she coached for 27 years and led the Nittany Lions to 21 NCAA Tournament appearances, while earning two national coach of the year honors. Portland passed away on July 22, 2017, at the age of 65 after a three-year battle with cancer. |
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Sherman Pruit lettered three years as a center from 1956 to 1958. He was an Academic All-Big Eight selection as a senior and helped the Buffs to three winning seasons and the Orange Bowl as a sophomore. He passed away on Jan. 21, 2015, at the age of 77. |
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Jerry Quiller coached Colorado to three Big Eight Conference titles and made a dozen (men and women) appearances at the NCAA Championships. He was named the league's coach of the year five times in that span and directed 19 All-Americans (13 men and six women), including Olympians Adam Goucher and Alan Culpepper. In 1994, CU's men placed second and the women were fourth at nationals, earning him national coach of the year accolades. After his days at CU, he became one of the most successful coaches in Army history (1995-2008) leading the Army men's and women's cross country and track teams to 37 Patriot League titles in 13 seasons on the job. Quiller passed away on Feb. 2, 2012 at the age of 69 after a long battle with multiple myeloma....more |
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Dan Radakovich was the defensive coordinator for the football team for two seasons. In his first year, he led the Buffs to the Gator Bowl, an 8-4 record and a defense that allowed just 16.5 points per game. In total, he spent 48 years as coach in college and the NFL and won two Super Bowls as an offensive line coach with the Steelers in the 1970s. He passed away on Feb. 20, 2020, at the age of 84. |
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Dan Ralph was a nose tackle for the Colorado football team for two years before transferring to the University of Oregon. He played briefly in the NFL with the St. Louis Cardinals. A local boy from Colorado, Ralph played his high school ball at Northglenn. He passed away on Mar. 27, 2010 at the age of 49. |
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Jim Ranglos was a member of CU's 1955 men's basketball team that made it to the Final Four. He was named to the All-Tournament team that year after he scored 18 points in the Buffs' 75-55 win over Iowa for third place in the national tournament. Nicknamed the "Golden Greek," Ranglos had a great senior campaign as he led the team in scoring (14.8 ppg) and rebounds (9.0 rpg). Ranglos passed away on Sept. 25, 1998 at the age of 66. |
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Tim Richardson was a reserve forward on the 1969 Big Eight Championship men's basketball team that also played in the NCAA Tournament. He played in 23 games as a junior in 1968-69, recording 73 points and 31 rebounds as the Buffaloes finished 21-7 under coach Sox Walseth. Overall he played in 49 games in three seasons. Richardson passed away on July 19, 2010, in his hometown of Independence, Mo. |
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Randy Robinson was a four-year letterwinner as a forward in men’s basketball in 1988-89 and then 1990-93. He scored 980 points in 108 career games. As a junior, he averaged 14.1 points and he upped his average to 15.2 as a senior. He passed away on Jan. 18, 2020, at the age of 50. |
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Bill Roe started at inside linebacker for the Buffs in 1978 and 1979. In his senior season, he led the Big Eight in tackles (162) and was the team leader in interceptions (3). Roe also had 10 or more tackles in seven games in 1979 and was the first player to win Big Eight Defensive Player of the Week honors two weeks in a row. His strong performances throughout the '79 season were enough to convince the Dallas Cowboys of the NFL to select him in the 1980 draft. He also later played with the New Orleans Saints and in the United States Football League. Roe was 46 when he passed away on Sept. 13, 2003. |
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Milt Rogers played football at CU as a guard in 1959 and 1960, and graduated in 1961 with a bachelor's degree in political science. After graduation, he was stationed at the USMC base in Kaneohe Bay, Hawai'i. He served two tours of duty in Vietnam and 30 years in the USMC Reserves, before retiring in 1998 with the rank of Colonel. He and his wife Sheryl regularly attended CU football and basketball games and he was active with the Alumni C-Club. Rogers passed away from declining health on April 2, 2019, at the age of 79. |
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Bob Rolander was a star basketball player for the Buffaloes and was one of team's leading scorers during his sophomore and junior seasons. In the 1948-49 season, he was the first CU player to be named to the All-Big Seven Conference team. Rolander recieved a law degree from George Washington University and served with the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict. After an unsuccesful bid for a 1960 U.S. Congressional seat, he was employed at Public Service Company of Colorado as a Lobbyist from 1963-92. Rolander passed away on Nov. 1, 2007 at the age of 79. |
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Bill Sabatino lettered three years as a defensive tackle from 1964 to 1966. A three-year starter, he helped the Buffs improve from 2-8 as a sophomore to 7-3 as a senior. He went on to play two years in the NFL with the Browns and Falcons. He passed away on Sept. 6, 2015, at the age of 70. |
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Mike Sager brought wrestling back to prominence at Colorado and was the final head coach of the program. Sager, who was an NCAA Champion while attaining an undergraduate degree at Oklahoma, brought his experience and passion to the sport to Boulder when he was named the head coach of the Buffaloes in 1974. He soon built the team into a Top 20 program and led the Buffs as high as eighth in the national rankings, while also producing several All-Americans along the way. Sager was 60 when he passed away on May 30, 2004...more |
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Rashaan Salaam won the 1994 Heisman Trophy winner and College Football Hall of Fame member, helped lead Bill McCartney's 1994 Buffaloes to one of the best seasons in CU history, an 11-1 finish that included a 41-24 win over Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl and a No. 3 ranking in the final polls — the second-best finish ever by a CU team. He was a runaway winner in the 1994 Heisman voting after rushing for 2,055 yards to become just the fourth player in college football history at the time to surpass the 2,000-yard mark. He won the Heisman by 248 votes and 842 points and was also a landslide winner in the voting for the Doak Walker Award, given to the nation's top running back. He also became the fifth player in CU history to earn unanimous All-America honors. In 2012 he was inducted into CU's Athletic Hall of Fame. He passed away on December 5, 2016. More. |
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Bob Salerno was a tackle and linebacker for the Buffaloes and was elected a team captain during his senior season in 1959 by his teammates. Salerno earned all-conference honors that season and was later drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League and by the Boston Patriots of the American Football League. He later became a football coach for several high schools in southern California. Salerno passed away on July 7, 2010 at the age of 73. |
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Steve Salvatore, originally a quarterback, lettered three years as a defensive back for CU football coach Chuck Fairbanks from 1980-82. A Boston native, Salvatore earned a degree in business and communication from the university in 1984 before launching a real estate company back in Massachusetts. He was 49 when he passed away on July 10, 2010. |
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Julia Sarcona appeared in 11 games in three seasons, scoring two goals and recording two assists. She passed away in an auto accident on Jan. 13, 2018, ahead of her senior season at the age of 21. Her teammates dedicated the 2018 season to her and won the inaugural Pac-12 regular season championship and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament with the program’s first-ever postseason win...more. |
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Bryan Sax began his CU ski career on the development team, but it did not take long for him to make the varsity squad and eventually became the national champion in the men's giant slalom in 1995. He also had seven career top 10 finishes and was the runner-up in the slalom at the Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association Championships. During his senior year (1994-95), Sax was the captain of the men's alpine team. He was 37 when he passed away in a plane crash on Dec. 6, 2008...more |
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Paul Schmidt played on the CU squad that won the NIT in 1940. CU squads made a total of three trips to Madison Square Garden in Schmidt's career and participated in both the NIT and NCAA Tournaments during his tenure. A 1942 CU gradaute, Schmidt practiced as a CPA in the Kansas City area from 1948-97 after a four-year career in the Civillian Public Service Camps during World War II. Schmidt passed away on April 9, 2008 at the age of 88. |
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Leonard Scott lettered during the 1940 football season under then head coach Frank Potts. He played end that season and helped the Buffs defeat conference rival Wyoming 62-0 and finish that year with a 5-3-1 record. Scott passed away in 2004. |
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Bill Scribner was a linebacker and center from 1958-60. He began his time on the team as a linebacker but by 1960, Scribner was the usual starter at center. A local product from South Denver High School, Scribner's teammates had several nicknames for him during his time on the team, including "The Ant-Eater," "The Bison" and "The Flamingo." He was a member of the 1960 team that defeated Oklahoma for the first time since 1912 and go on to participate in the '60 Copper Bowl, a post-season all-star game. Scribner passed away on April 12, 2008 at the age of 70. |
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Sandy Shellworth Hildner skied at CU under coach Bob Beattie before women’s skiing was an official collegiate sport at the university. She was the 1967 U.S. champion in the giant slalom and was among the first women from CU to participate in the Olympics, competing in 1968 at Grenoble where she finished 21st in the women’s downhill. Shellworth Hildner passed away on Jan. 10, 2019, at the age of 74. More |
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Mark Shoop lettered three years as a defensive tackle from 1980 to 1982. As a senior, he was second on the team with 92 tackles, five for loss and two sacks. He passed away on July 30, 2018, at the age of 57. |
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Donald Sidwell played for three seasons under CU basketball coach Forrest B. Cox and lettered in two of them. He was a member of the 1937-38 squad that made the National Invitational Tournament in New York City and a member of the 1938-39 team that went 14-4 during the year. Sidwell passed away on Dec. 10, 2007 at the age of 90. |
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Martin Simmons lettered three years as an offensive lineman from 1996 to 1999. He helped the Buffs to three bowl games. He passed away on May 6, 2019, at the age of 42. |
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Mark Simpson was a three-time letter winner in golf at CU before replacing his coach, Les Fowler, at the position in 1977. Only two Colorado coaches ever have been in their position longer than Simpson's 29 years at the helm. He was named the co-Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year in 2000 and the 1981 Big Eight Conference and NCAA District Five Coach of the Year, when the Buffs finished second in the conference and 11th in the nation.He was inducted into the Golf Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame on Jan. 12, 2005. Simpson was 55 when he passed away on Dec. 5, 2005...more. |
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Mark Smith was a reserve center for Colorado from 1991-93, lettering his senior season. He would go on to a career in professional wrestling by the ring name Bison Smith. He toured in Japan, Puerto Rico and the United States, winning several titles along the way. Bison Smith joined the American promotion Ring of Honor in January 2009. He passed away on Nov. 22, 2011 in Puerto Rico due to heart complications at the age of 38...more |
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Ted Somerville (Greeley High School) was a co-starter at right halfback as a sophomore on CU’s 1961 Big Eight Conference champion team. He was lost for the 1962 season after suffering an injury in the opener, but came back to letter two more times in 1963 and 1964 (when he even had a trial at quarterback). After college, he worked for Mountain Bell (now known as Lumen) as a regional sales manager for 29 years. He also served as Chairman of the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce, President of the Board of the Fine Arts Center and chaired the fund raising for the United Way. He was one of the first recipients of the Denver Post’s Gold Helmet Award for excellence in athletics, academics and community. Scheduled for induction in Greeley High’s Hall of Fame (a three-sport athlete, accomplished trumpet player and honor student), he passed away after a valiant 12-year fight with Alzheimer’s in Denver on Oct. 11, 2022 at the age of 80. |
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A four-year letter winner at both inside and outside linebacker, Brandon Southward played in 40 games overall - starting 15 - and made 167 career tackles, 86 of which came during his senior season. The Colorado Springs native was one of the first recruits in the Buffs' 1995 class by then first year head coach Rick Neuheisel. After college, he spent one season playing in NFL Europe, and had a brief stint with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Southward loved to travel and enjoyed the outdoors, surfing and helping other people who were in need. He was 29 when he passed away on Feb. 23, 2005. |
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Bob Spencer played four years under coach Myron Witham where he played end and punter. He was named to the all-conference second team during his junior season. One of Spencer's on the field highlights was scoring the game winning touchdown in a 7-6 win over Colorado College in 1926. After graduating in 1931, he went on to work for the Fort Morgan Times newspaper where he eventually became editor and publisher emeritus. Spencer is credited for saving The Times during the Great Depression by taking on the jobs of others who had left the paper, thus keeping costs down. He passed away on May 4, 2001 at the age of 94. |
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Dick Stapp was a three year starter at guard and then tackle for coach Dal Ward, and a member of the first Colorado team to win a bowl game, the 1957 Orange Bowl against Clemson. After his time at CU, he went on to both teach and coach at Colorado School of Mines in Golden. Stapp was an assistant football coach for 23 years, the head track coach for 10 years and the assistant wrestling coach for five years. In 2000, he was posthumously inducted into the Colorado School of Mines Sports Hall of Fame. He passed away earlier that year, on May 16 at the age of 66. |
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Dan Stavely was CU’s freshman football coach for 15 total years, serving two stints (1958, 1963-76). He had additional roles as an academic counselor and associate athletic director before his retirement in 1983; many athletes also viewed him as mentor, surrogate father and life counselor. The FCA’s National Coach of the Year for 1975, he was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame in 1988. He passed away on May 28, 2003 at the age of 90. |
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Dick Stevens was a guard at Colorado, playing in the school's first year in the Big 7 Conference in 1948. He also lettered on CU's 1950 squad that finished 5-4-1 and began a string of 12-straight winning seasons. A Denver native, he passed away in April 2011. |
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Bryan Stoltenberg earned consensus first-team All-American honors at center as a senior in 1995 and was a two-time, first-team All-Big Eight performer (1994, 1995). He was a sixth-round draft choice by the San Diego Chargers in the 1996 NFL Draft and went on to play in 50 career games with the Chargers (1996), New York Giants (1997) and Carolina Panthers (1998-2000). A native of Sugar Land, Texas, Stoltenberg passed away on Jan. 4, 2013, at the age of 40...more |
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Art Thomson had a distinguished career in tennis. He lettered for the three years he was eligible at CU, from 1967 thru 1969, and finished 3rd in the Big Eight. Art won numerous Colorado State Titles including 23 triple titles from age 35 to 65 (Singles, Men's Doubles and Mixed Doubles with his wife, Laura). Art contributed his time and energy mightily to the Colorado tennis community through teaching and volunteer work and was rewarded by being inducted into the Colorado Tennis Hall of Fame in January, 2015. Art was diagnosed with ALS in late 2013. After a valiant and inspirational fight against the disease, he died on December 18, 2015. |
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Rick Thomson lettered in 1976 as a defensive end. He helped the Buffs to the Orange Bowl that season. He passed away on April 9, 2019, at the age of 63. |
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Jackie Thornton played defensive tackle for the Buffaloes in 1975, helping the team to a 9-3 record and third place Big Eight finish and a berth in the Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl. After college, Thornton devoted his life to his family and the ministry. A native of Farmington, N.M., he passed away on Jan. 28, 2014, at the age of 58. |
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Charles “Tommy” Toms competed in both football and swimming at CU in the early 1950s. On the gridiron, he threw for 45 yards and rushed for 15 yards in 1953. He went on to serve in the Army and then graduated from Hastings College in 1957. He remained in Nebraska where he was a teacher and owned a sporting goods store in York. In 2007 he received a CU Liviing Legnds Award. Toms passed away on Aug. 12, 2020, at the age of 87. |
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Arnold Torgerson wrestled at CU in the early 1950s, finishing second at the Big Seven Championships in 1954 at 123 pounds. After graduation, he was a teacher and coach at Delta and Fort Collins High Schools. He proudly served as Director of the Colorado High School Coaches Association and Director of the Colorado All-State Games from 1987 - 2003. He was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2003 for Lifetime Achievement, and served as President of the Colorado Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. A native of Denver, he passed away unexpectedly, but peacefully, on April 6, 2020, at the age of 88. |
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Martin Trotsky was a three-year letterwinner in basketball and baseball from 1939-42. In baseball he was an all-conference shortstop and led the team to a 25-game winning streak at one point. In basketball he led the Buffs to a combined 43-12 record during those three seasons. Following graduation, the Connecticut native enlisted in the U.S. Marines Corps where he served in the South Pacific as a Major. He passed away on Jan. 1, 2019, at the age of 100. |
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Darrell Troudt lettered in 1977 as an offensive guard. He passed away in December 2017. |
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Jim Uhlir lettered three years as a center from 1954 to 1956. He was a two-year starter and helped the Buffs to three winning seasons and the Orange Bowl as a senior. He was an Academic All-Big Eight selection in 1956. He passed away on May 10, 2019, at the age of 84. |
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Mike Veeder was a three year letter winner at defensive end for coach Eddie Crowder. He played a big role in Colorado's 21-16 win over Nebraska in 1967 when Dick Anderson intercepted a pass and lateralled it to Veeder for a 45 yard touchdown right before the half.? Also during that game, he had five tackles and a fumble recovery. He played for the Denver Broncos and Dallas Cowboys of the NFL and later had a coaching stint at Boulder High School. Veeder passed away at the age of 54 on Feb. 11, 2001. |
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Milan Vooletick came to Colorado in 1974 when Bill Mallory was hired as the head coach. He coached defensive backs for four years in Boulder and held the same position when he was with Mallory from 1969-73 at Miami of Ohio. His coaching career spanned 32 years with him also making stops at Michigan, Rice, the U.S. Naval Academy, Iowa and Kentucky. Vooletick passed away on Oct. 26, 2006 at the age of 65. |
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A four-year letterman, he rushed for 1,537 yards and 12 touchdowns, averaging 5.1 yards per carry. He set the freshman rushing record for a single game with 202 yards against Wisconsin in 1973, a record that still stood through the 2021 season. He also caught 31 passes for 475 yards and two TDs in earning honorable mention All-Big Eight honors three times. A second round draft pick (50th overall) by the Los Angeles Rams in 1977, he played eight seasons in the NFL, seven with the Rams and in 1984 with the Minnesota Vikings. In 75 games, he caught 120 passes for 1,963 yards and 10 touchdowns. He passed away on Jan. 21, 2022 at the age of 67. |
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Drew Wahlroos was a four-year letterwinner as a linebacker from 1999 to 2002. He had 242 career tackles with 12 for loss, six sacks and two interceptions. He led the Buffs to three bowl games, two Big 12 North Division titles, and the 2001 Big 12 championship. He went on to play three years in the NFL with the St. Louis Rams. He passed away on Sept. 3, 2017, at the age of 32. |
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Don Walker was a three-year letterwinner and played in 66 career games as a center. He scored 629 career points for an average of 9.5 per game to go with a rebounding average of 7.5. He was third all-time at CU in rebounding with 492 when he graduated. As a senior he was named second-team All-Big Eight after averaging 13.1 points and leading the team in rebounding at 8.5. Walker passed away on Feb. 3, 2017, at the age of 79. |
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Russell "Sox" Walseth was likely the first and one of the few ever to coach men's and women's basketball at the same school. He is the winningest coach in men's history with at 261-245. He lettered a total of six times in the 1940's in basketball and baseball. As the men's coach, he won three Big Eight titles and was the Big Eight Coach of the Year five times. After 20 seasons, Walseth retired from coaching in 1976 but came out of retirement in 1980 to coach the women's team going 77-21 overall and a remarkable 43-0 at home in three seasons. In 1996, the Coors Events Center floor was named in his honor. Walseth was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame in 1998 and the CU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2002. He passed away at the age of 77 on Jan. 28, 2004...more |
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Will Walter was one of the five seniors on Colorado's 1955 NCAA Final Four team. His best season came in during his junior campaign in 1953-54 as he helped the Buffs to a 10-2 Big 7 Conference record. Nicknamed "the cowboy" because he was from Wyoming, Walter stayed at CU after his playing days to become an assistant coach for the freshman team while also earning another bachelors and a master's degree. He eventually went to the University of Connecticut where he earned his PhD in organic and medicinal chemistry and later became a professor at several different institutions. Walter passed away on Feb. 3, 2010 at the age of 76...more |
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Dallas "Dal" Ward is credited in bringing the Colorado football program back to national prominence in the 1950's. He spent 11 seasons as the Buffaloes head coach, compiling a 63-41-6 record during that time, which included a streak where he won nine straight games and won the 1956 Orange Bowl, CU's first ever bowl victory. After coaching, Ward became the assistant athletic director at the university from 1963 to 1974. CU's athletic administration center in the north end zone of Folsom Field bears his name, and he was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame in 1985 and the CU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008. Ward passed away in February 1983 at the age of 76...more |
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Mel Warner was a versatile player, who lettered in three seasons under coach Dal Ward. He came to CU as a half back and had quite some success early on, averaging nearly 4.9 yards per carrying during the 1955 season. During his career in Boulder, Warner also played at receiver, quarterback and linebacker. He was also on kickoffs and was the usual starter at center during his senior season in 1957. Warner passed away in 2005. |
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Anthony Weatherspoon was a key player in CU's switch to the wishbone offense under Bill McCartney in 1985. That season, he led the team in rushing with 569 yards, and was second the following season with 581. He rushed for 101 yards in a 21-17 win over Oregon in 1985, his top single-game yardage effort, and one of the first signature wins in CU's return to national prominence. Weatherspoon passed away on Nov. 16, 2005 at the age of 39...more |
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Jimmy Webb was one of the stalwarts on coach Bill McCartney's offensive line. He was a tackle during the 1984 and 1985 seasons. He was a member of the 1985 team that went to the Freedom Bowl, Colorado's first bowl game since the 1976 Orange Bowl. Webb later worked for a decade as an assistant equipment manager at the university. He was 47 when he passed away on March 11, 2011. |
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Gale Weidner was the first true proficient passing quarterback in CU history, setting virtually every passing record in earning three letters from 1959-61. He led the Buffaloes to the Big Eight Conference championship in 1961 (7-0 in conference play), an Orange Bowl berth opposite LSU, a 9-2 record and a final national ranking of 7th in both polls. He threw for 3,033 yards in his career (a record that would stand for 23 years) and 18 touchdowns. Married to his wife Paula for 55 years, Gale passed away on Oct. 31, 2020 at the age of 80. |
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Chuck Weiss lettered three years as a fullback from 1958 to 1960. He had 13 total touchdowns (12 rushing, one receiving) and 1,039 rushing yards in his career and led the team in rushing with 391 yards as a senior and earned honorable mention All-America that year. He passed away on March 15, 2019. |
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Byron "Whizzer" White is known as the greatest Buffalo ever, not only for his on the field accomplishments, but for his work in the classroom and in the professional world. He guided Colorado to an 8-0 record in 1937 and a berth in the 1938 Cotton Bowl by leading the nation in rushing with 1,121 yards and scoring 122 points. He also played baseball - where he was .400 hitter - and basketball. He went on to play professional football with the Pittsburgh Pirates (now Steelers) and the Detroit Lions. He was a Rhodes Scholar and later attended graduate school at Oxford and law school at Yale. He was a U.S. Supreme Court Justice from 1962-93. He was the only member of the inaugural class of the CU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1998. White passed away at the age of 84 on Apr. 15, 2002...more |
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Leon White was a four-year letterwinner on the offensive line from 1973 to 1977. He was a two-year starter and helped the Buffs to bowl games during his junior and senior seasons. He was named first-team All-America in 1977. White played one year in the NFL in 1978 with the Los Angeles Rams. He went on to have a second career in wrestling, gaining world-wide fame as Vader and the Baby Bull. He passed away on June 18, 2018, at the age of 63...more. |
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Emerson Wilson was one of coach Dal Ward's top running backs in the 1950's. He was the team's leading rusher in 1953, amassing 591 yards and six touchdowns on 118 carries. Wilson holds one of the longest rushes in CU history, a 95-yard touchdown against Kansas State during that '53 season. Wilson later became the head football coach at Boulder High School, where he amassed an 86-39-6 record and won the 1963 state championship and the 1965 league title. He passed away on Oct. 20, 2010 at the age of 77...more |
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Dick Woodward was a three year letter winner at end on coach Frank Potts' and Jim Yeager's squads from 1940-42. During that time period, the Buffs went 15-9-2, including going 7-2 in the 1942 season. Woodward passed away in 2009. |
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Jerry Zancanelli was the second women’s basketball coach in CU history and led the program for three seasons from 1975-78. He finished his tenure with a 40-38 record. He continued his career as a teacher in the Boulder Valley School District after his time at CU, coaching basketball, football and track. He passed away on Jan. 5, 2020, at the age of 85...more. |
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John Zisch is one of the few CU players to be involved in a game winning score as time expired. In 1947, Zisch kicked a 36-yard field goal as time ran out to lift Colorado to a 9-7 win over BYU - his only made field goal. What was more impressive about the kick is that he did it with a cast on after breaking his leg the week before during practice. He also played tight end and defensive. Zisch was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams of the NFL, but decided to continue his education at CU and earned a master's degree in business administration in 1948. He earned a juris doctorate from the CU School of Law in 1952. Prior to his CU playing days, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and while training, he was a member of the All-America Service football team which went undefeated in 1943. Zisch passed away on May 26, 2004 at the age of 79. |