Phil Acton '62
Football Letter-winner 1959-1961
High School Teacher and Coach in Florida, Indiana, and Illinois for 42 years
Seven-time Conference, County, and Area Coach of the Year
Accumulated 20 straight winning seasons at Bolingbrook (Ill.) High School
Guided Bolingbrook to 5A State Championship Game 1993
Illinois High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame 1997
Illinois High School Football Coaches Ray Elliot Award 2000
National High School Football Coach of the Year Nominee 1993, 1997, 2000
National Football Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award 2002
All-American Football Foundation Outstanding Performance Award 2002
Coached 168 eventual collegiate football players and 19 eventual professionals
Retired after 42 years of coaching at 9 different schools with a career record of 237-115 (.637) 2002
Coached a total of 19 Conference Champions and 17 State Playoff Teams
Named Teacher of the Year in Jackson Co. Florida and Tri-County High School (IN)
Still works as a High School football consultant
Inducted in 2003
Linda (Rule) Barnett '70
Five sport Letter-winner 1967-1970
Girls Basketball Coach (24 years), Track Coach (17 years), and Volleyball Coach (16 years) at Clinton Central High School
Indiana Basketball All-Star Assistant Coach 1988
Indiana Coaches of Girls Sports Association "300 wins award" recipient for both volleyball and basketball
Indiana Coaches of Girls Sports Association 20 and 30 year award
Boasts 337 Volleyball Career Wins (.687) and 381 Basketball Career Wins (.683)
Guided Volleyball Teams to 2 Sectional and 2 Conference Crowns
Coached Basketball Teams to 10 Sectional, 2 Regional, and 11 Conference Championships
Athletic Director at Clinton Central High School (1997-present)
Member of the Executive Board of the Indiana High School Athletic Association since 1999
Recipient of the Greyhound Club "I" Person of the Year Award 2003
Inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame 2003
Inducted in 2004
Lowell “Odie” Barnett '36
Athletic Director at Muncie Southside High School for 12 Years- Retired in 1976
School’s Football and Track facility was dedicated Lowell Barnett Field
Taught and Coached at McKinley Middle School in Muncie for 19 Years
Taught and Coached at Spiceland in Henry County for 2 Years
Baseball player, Coach, Umpire, and league organizer for more than six decades
High-School Official for 10 regional tournaments, 8 Semi-States, and 2 State finals
Competed in Minor League Baseball as a member of teams in the following cities:
Buffalo,Eau Claire, WI, Minneapolis, Chattanooga, TN, Sanford, FL, Thomasville, GA, Anderson, Fort Wayne, Lafayette, and Indianapolis
He helped sign with Carl Erskine of Anderson to a contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers while a Baseball Scout
Inducted into the Delaware County Athletic Hall of Fame in 1984
Recipient of the Delaware County’s Light body Award in 1989
Inducted into the Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame in 1980
Inducted in 2007
Wimp Baumgartner '57
Varsity Letter-winner in Volleyball, Basketball, and Track
Served 28 years as teacher and coach at Jimtown and Leo High Schools
Coached basketball, volleyball, track and gymnastics teams
Coached 1976-1977 Volleyball Team to IHSAA Final Four
Two-term Charter Member of the IHSAA Female Advisory Board 1972-1976
Played for six seasons in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League 1949-1954
Inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown in November of 1988 as a part of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Wing
Inducted in 1989
Judith (Powell) Birgerson '67
Received a Total of 16 Varsity Letters at Indiana Central
Three-time Field Hockey Letter-winner
Four-time Volleyball Letter-winner
Four-time Basketball Letter-winner
Four-time Softball Letter-winner
Track & Field Letter-winner
Indiana Central Female Athlete of the Year in 1967
Residence Hall President one year
PEMM Club Vice-President one year
American Business Women's Association "Woman of the Year" 1976
Outstanding Young Women of America 1977
American Business Women's Association Boss 1979
Past President American Business Women's Association
Inducted in 1999
Don Bisesi '60
Golf Letter-winner at Indiana Central College 1957-1960
Four-time All-Hoosier College Conference Golfer 1957-1960
Two-time Hoosier College Conference Player of the Year
Two-time NAIA National Tournament qualifier and participant
Runner-up Indianapolis Amateur Golf Championship 1961
Runner-up Dade County Florida Amateur Golf Championship 1963
Tri-State Player of the Year 1977
State Senior PGA Champion 1989
US Senior PGA Open qualifier and participant
Participated in three Senior PGA Tour events
Started Evansville Indiana Junior Golf Program in 1977
Received numerous awards for work with junior golfers
Inducted in 1999
Bill Bless '63
Football Letter-winner 1959-1962
Member of 1961 Hoosier College Conference Championship Team
Team Co-Captain 1962
Head Football and Track Coach at Greensburg and Whiteland High Schools 1965-1970
Assistant Professor of Health and Physical Education at the University of Indianapolis
Head Coach of University of Indianapolis Football Team 1972-1993
Head Track Coach for 19 Years
All-time Winningest Football Coach in U of I History (114-99-9)
Indiana Central Alumni Coach of the Year 1968, 1969, 1978
Three-time Conference Coach of the Year
Greenwood City Councilman since 1987
Inducted into the Indiana Football Hall of Fame 1994
Assistant Football Coach at Mooresville High School under son Mark Bless 1995-present
Winner of "Distinguished American award" given by the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame 2005
Inducted in 2003
Mark Bless '84
Lettered in Football 4 times
Lettered in Track 3 times
Football Co-Captain in 1983
First team All-Heartland Conference for football in 1981and 1983
Second team All-Heartland Conference for football in 1982
Most Valuable Defensive Player in 1983
Most Valuable Player-Heartland Conference in 1983
Tony Hinkle Award Winner in 1983
First team Kodak All-American Defensive Tackle in 1983
Served as the Assistant football Coach at Terre Haute North High School from 1985-1990
Served as the Head football Coach at North Vermillion High School from 1990-1995
Win/Loss Record 39-14 Overall
Conference Champions in years 1993-1994 and 1994-1995
Sectional Champions in 1993-1994
Head Football Coach at Mooresville High School from 1994-Present
Win/Loss Record 94-47 Overall
Indianapolis Star West, Coach of the Year in years 2001-2002 and 2004-2005
Conference Champions in years 2003-2004 and 2004-2005
Sectional Champions in years 2004-2005 and 2007-2008
Mid State Coach of the Year in 2007-2008
University of Indianapolis Coach of the Year in 2001-2002 and 2004-2005
Served as the Assistant Coach North-South All Star Football Game in 2003
Indianapolis Colts High School Coach of the Year in 2003 and 2004
Inducted in 2009
Walter Brenneman '41
Played Basketball for four years
Participated in Track for four years
Participated in Intramural Sports for 4 years
Served on the Reflector Staff for three years and the Oracle Staff Junior year
Served as President of the Y.M.C.A cabinet Senior year
Served on the C Association (Varsity Letter Club) for three years
Had a basketball season team record of 60-12 over four years
On December 11th, 1941 he was inducted into Army Air Force at Ft. Benjamin Harrison
Sent to Flight Training School at Visalia, CA where he was first trained as a fighter pilot
On August 8th, 1942 he sailed to Hawaii and transferred to B-17 Bombers
On August 3rd, 1943 on his 29th mission he was shot down off New Guinea
He was looking forward to his 30th mission where he would be rotated back to the states
Walter Brenneman Award
This Award is provided by friends and family. One recipient is selected among all participating athletes, with particular attention paid to the selection process, which focuses on each recipients leadership abilities, self-control, cooperation, and ethical character. Along with the award, the winner receives a copy of a book depicting the life of Walter entitled “Walter, An Airman’s Life”, which was written by his niece, Marcia.
Inducted in 2009
Bill Bright '54
Three Year Basketball Letter-winner 1951-1953
Second Team All Hoosier College Conference 1953
Two Time Team MVP
Three Year Baseball Letter-winner 1951-1953
Played on undefeated Hall of Fame Baseball team 1952
Amateur Baseball All-American
Holds nine baseball school records at the University of Indianapolis
Signed professional baseball contract with the Philadelphia Phillies after junior year
Walter Brennemen Award winner 1954
Coached at French Lick High School
Spent 32 years on staff at the University of Indianapolis
Coached baseball, basketball, cross country, and softball
University of Indianapolis Athletic Director 1977-1993
Inducted in 1988
Edgar Bright '26
Four-sport athletie earning 12 letters in basketball, baseball, football, and track
Played on the first football and track squads at Indiana Central in 1924-25
Selected to the Indiana Collegiate All-Star Basketball team and the Indiana All-College Football second team during Senior Season
Served as a High School Teacher, Coach, and Administrator for 26 years on Long Island, New York where he produced several outstanding football, baseball, and wrestling teams
Head Baseball coach at Long Island University for 10 years
Returned to Indiana Central in 1945 to restart the athletic program after it was dropped during the war years
Re-established the Indiana Central football program in the fall of 1946 after a 13 year absence
Was a driving force in founding the Hoosier College Conference in which Indiana Central was a prominent member for many years
The Indiana Central Basketball Team, under the direction of Coach Bright, was the host institution for the first collegiate double-header ever played in the Indiana State Fairground Coliseum: Harvard vs. Indiana Central and North Carolina vs. Holy Cross.
Inducted in 1990
Robert Brooker
Member of University faculty 1950-1988
Retired Bohn Chair Chemistry
Faculty athletics representative for 30 years
Chair of faculty athletics committee many years
Helped for the Heartland Collegiate and GLVC Conferences
President of Hoosier College Conference 3 times
President of Indiana Collegiate Conference
President of Heartland Collegiate Conference
President of Great Lakes Valley Conference
University of Indianapolis Honorary alumnus 1981
Mayor of Indianapolis Award 1994
State of Indiana Jefferson Award 1995
Military awards include: The Bronze Star, The Purple Heart, The Belgium Croix de Guerre, two Presidential Unit Citations, and two Army Commendations
Outstanding U of I Athlete Annual Award named in his honor
Inducted in 1999
