Sports Information | 1/13/2015 10:05:00 AM
Three individuals who influenced and paved the way forward for thousands of UW-River Falls students, Byron James, Emogene Nelson and Judy Wilson, have been named to the 2015 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Hall of Fame.
The WIAC established a Hall of Fame to coincide with the conference's celebration of its 100th anniversary which took place during the 2012-13 academic year.
The 30-member class for 2015 will be inducted at the WIAC Hall of Fame Banquet to be held on Aug. 1, 2015, at UW-Platteville.
In announcing the 2015 class, WIAC Commissioner Gary Karner noted once again how difficult the selection process is given the 102-year history and incomparable success of the conference. "Quite frankly, there are dozens, if not hundreds, more individuals deserving of this honor. Therefore, it is our intention to continue to induct future Hall of Fame classes every three years with the ultimate goal of recognizing those student-athletes, coaches, administrators, officials and others whose contributions and achievements have established and solidified the WIAC's status as the most accomplished Division III conference in NCAA history," added Karner.
James was UWRF's wrestling coach from 1959-98 and led the team to 11 WSUC championships. In 1985, the Falcons finish third at the NCAA Division III Championship and sixth at the NAIA Championship. James coached four national champions, 52 All-Americans and 55 WSUC champions, while claiming conference Coach of the Year honors in 1985 and 1988. He was named to the UWRF Athletic Hall of Fame in 1985. He is also a member of the George Martin, the NAIA District 14, the Div. III and the NAIA Wrestling Halls of Fame. He died in 2007.
Nelson was a pioneer in physical education and competitive sports for women and served as the Executive Director of Women's Athletics in Wisconsin. In 1977, she helped the commissioner's position for the WWIAC become a reality by acting as Executive Secretary. She was president of the Wisconsin Association for Health, Physcial Education and Recreation, and on a number of local and state task forces and committees on faculty development, women in administration, physical education and athletics. Nelson was the first woman named to the UW-River Falls Athletic Hall of Fame in 1983. She died in 1984.
Wilson served as a founding member of the WWIAC and chaired many committees that furthered the development of women's athletics in the state. Wilson was UW-River Falls' associate athletic director from 1980-92. From 1966-84, she coached field hockey, earning WWIAC Coach of the Year honors in 1982 and leading the team to a state tournament victory in 1972. Wilson coached the women's tennis team from 1966-70 and 84-89, claiming conference Coach of the Year recognition in 1988. From 1966-78, she directed the Falcon women's track & field team. She was inducted into the UWRF Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993.
