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The fall 2004 athletic season confirmed that the future of Panther athletics is in good hands. After last year, when UNI claimed three conference championships in the fall, expectations for this year were high. Football returned 43 lettermen, including senior quarterback Tom Petrie and the 2003 Gateway Conference Newcomer of the Year, running back Terrance Freeney. The offense returned nine starters, while the defense was depending on six, including linebacker Danny Triplett, With a tough fi rst-half schedule, UNI needed to play its best ball right out of the gates. Unfortunately, the Panthers went 1-4, losing three games by an average of four points. They also lost their starting quarterback in a 40-36 loss at Southern Illinois. With a Gateway championship gone and a playoff run questionable, UNI’s younger athletes stepped up. Eric Sanders, the redshirt freshman quarterback, led the Panthers to six straight wins and was named 2004 Gateway Conference Freshman of the Year. He threw for 1,307 yards and 15 touchdowns, while junior Justin Surrency nabbed 46 receptions and seven TDs. Junior Terrance Freeney rushed for 1,100 yards, his second 1,000-plus season. Sophomore Dre Dokes tallied four interceptions, including one for a 95-yard score at Southern Illinois, and sophomore Patrick Hunter tallied 171 reception yards and three touchdowns. The Panthers won their fi nal six games by an average of 25 points, outscoring After losing eight starters to injury, UNI finished right behind Southern Illinois and Western Kentucky in the Gateway. The UNI volleyball team had a similar fate in 2004. Head coach Bobbi Petersen faced a tough situation as injuries took their toll. UNI lost early season matches to national powers Florida, Kansas State and Minnesota, and dropped an early conference match in the West Gym to Missouri Valley Conference regular season and tournament champion Wichita State. UNI went on to win 15 of its next 17 games, including a fi ve-game road victory over Notre Dame. Four players reached double fi gures in kills that evening — freshman outside hitter Laura Rowen (21), junior Rachael Tink (20), Shari Vermeer (17) and sophomore Trista Humpal (15). Senior setter Erin Hirsch posted a career-high 74 assists, most ever for a UNI player in a five-game match. Redshirt freshman Danielle Brazda picked up MVC Freshman of the Year honors. Brazda tallied 179 total blocks, second in the Valley. Tink returns as a senior next fall after leading the Panthers in kills per game and total points. Vermeer and Tink were first team all-MVC, as UNI fi nished tied for second in the Valley. UNI men’s and women’s cross-country teams are full of fresh faces, and neither team loses anyone to graduation. Though 2004 had its ups and downs, head coach Kyle Kepler was proud of his athletes. “In an MVC championship meet that was full of unexpected hardships, both teams persevered with several outstanding individual performances,” he said. During the Valley meet, sophomore Quinn Vermie was overcome with heat with only 500 meters remaining, and junior Randi Burns tripped while running in a pack. This cost UNI several positions in the team standings. Freshman Traci Hawley was UNI’s top finisher in 17th place. Dylan Davis didn’t stop for anything in the men’s race, not even his shoe. Just over 800 meters into his 8,000-meter trek, Davis’ shoe was stepped on and lost, but he kept running and finished 22nd overall, second for the Panthers. Teammate Nathan White wasn’t so lucky, breaking a toe as he ran over some tree roots. The cross-country teams learned about perseverance the hard way and may someday be grateful for that ill-fated race in Carbondale, Ill.  The women’s soccer team returns every starter next season. Four Panthers earned all-conference honors this year — junior Shanon Dechant (first team), junior Brooke Orcutt (second team), Candice Divoky (honorable mention) and Amy Seubert (all-freshman team). UNI set a new attendance record in its home finale against Iowa at its new facility, the Cedar Valley Soccer Complex. A partnership with the Cedar Valley Youth Soccer Association gave many families an opportunity to watch the Panthers in a great atmosphere. Head coach Linda Whitehead was pleased with the new field and the Panthers’ response to the large crowd. “Our players played with great heart and battled the entire 90 minutes. It’s a game we lost but played very evenly with Iowa.” On Oct. 9, ground was broken for the McLeod Center, which will host men’s and women’s basketball, wrestling and volleyball beginning in 2006. “It’ll be a great home for many sports and it will free up the UNI-Dome to do some extra things,” said Rick Hartzell, UNI Athletics Director. “The money for the McLeod Center was raised in the Cedar Valley and across the country by alumni and friends. We’re indebted to the people who helped us do this, and there are a lot of people to thank.” Determined young athletes, great coaches, solid support and ever-improved facilities make UNI look very strong in 2005 and beyond. |
