The Department of Athletics and the Greyhound Club are pleased to announce the 2009 Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Class. This year's Hall of Fame ceremony and events will take place on Saturday, February 28, 2009. The 2009 Class includes four individuals and one team set for induction. Mark Bless (football, track), Walter Brenneman (basketball, track), Dennis McNulty (cross country, track), Andy Richardson (track, football) and the 1972-73 baseball team will all be introduced at halftime of the men's basketball game on Feb. 28 and enshrined following the game at the annual awards banquet.
The inductees will be introduced at half-time of the Men's basketball game vs. University of Wisconsin-Parkside. The game begins at 3:00 p.m. with a dinner and induction ceremony (5:30 p.m.) to follow at Primo Banquet and Conference Center (2615 E. National Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46227). The ceremony will feature the official Hall of Fame inductions and brief remarks by the inductees. Dinner tickets are $25 per person and $10 for children (12 and under). Reservations can be made by contacting the Athletic Development office (mdonovan@uindy.edu) or calling the office at (317)788-3359.
Biographies on the 2009 Hall of Fame Class:
A football and track letterwinner, Mark Bless graduated from UIndy in 1984. He earned first-team All-Heartland Conference honors for football in 1981 and '83. Mark also earned the most valuable player honor in the Heartland Conference in 1983. From 1990 to '95, Mark was the head football coach at North Vermillion High School earning a 39-14 overall football record. He is currently the head football coach at Mooresville High School with a 94-47 overall record. He led the team to the sectional championship in the 2003-04 and 2004-05 seasons. His team also earned conference championships in the 2004-05 and 2007-08 seasons. Coach Bless earned the University of Indianapolis Greyhound Club Coach of the Year honor in 2001-02 and 2004-05, in addition to the Indianapolis Colts Coach of the Year in 2003 and 2004.
Walter Brenneman graduated from UIndy in 1941. Walter was a 4-time letterwinner in basketball and track. For the four years he played basketball, the team went 60-12. December 11, 1941 Walter was inducted into The Army Air Force at Fort Benjamin Harrison. On August 3, 1943, on his 29th mission, he was shot down off of New Guinea. The Walter Brenneman Award was created in his honor and is provided by Walter's family and friends. One recipient is selected from among all participating athletes with particular attention in the selection process given to each participant's leadership abilities, self control, cooperation, and ethical character.
Dennis McNulty received his BA in 1977 from University of Indianapolis. As a Cross Country and Track stand-out, McNulty ran in three NCAA College Division II Cross Country and Track National Championships and was the top Indiana finisher at the Boston Marathon in 1975 with a time of 2:37:00. He began his coaching career at Clarksville High School in 1977, went to Noblesville High School in '81, then Maconaquah High School in '85, and has been at Warren Central since 1987. Coach McNulty led Warren Central to four IHSAA State Championships in 1995, '96, 2006, and '07. He has been the head coach of 13 high school All Americans and was named the National High School Federation National Coach of the Year and the Indiana All Star Team's Head Coach in 2007.
Andy Richardson, a 1998 graduate from University of Indianapolis, was a 4-time track and field letterwinner and a 2-time football letterwinner. Andy achieved many feats while at UIndy. He was the 1997 NCAA II Outdoor Shot-put champion and the '98 NCAA II Indoor Shot-put Champion. In 1997 and '98, he finished in the top 20 at the US National Championships. He set the UIndy school record, the 1998 Little State record, and the 1998 GLVC record in shot-put. Andy was a 4-time NCAA II All-American in the Shot-put. He coached at UIndy from 1998-2002, earning six All-American certificates and 14 GLVC titles in the throws.
The 1972-1973 Baseball Team is considered one of the finest baseball teams in school history. Coached by Bill Bright, the team finished the season 20-4 and went 8-0 in conference play. The team had the 3rd best batting average in the nation with .325. Eleven members of the team had a batting average of .300 or better.
Announcements will be made in the inductees' honor at halftime of the men's basketball game on Saturday, February 28, 2008. Hope you can join us. It should be a great evening!
