Bruce Bigford, Class of 1953
A shoulder injury he suffered as a sophomore forced Bruce Bigford to wear a chain from his torso to his left arm the rest of his playing career. The chain may have impeded the movement of his arm, but it didn't restrict his success. A three-time football letterwinner, Bigford played "spinning fullback" in the Vikings single-wing offense of that era, earning first-team all-Midwest Conference honors in '51 and '52. He led the Vikings to the 1951 league title with a 7-0 mark, one of only four unbeaten, untied seasons in school history. Bigford extended the Vikings winning streak to 14 consecutive victories in 1952, the longest winning streak in school history at the time and still the second longest. He was named the Vikings' most valuable player as a senior, capping his career with All-America recognition from the Associated Press. He still holds school career passing records for completion percentage (74.2%) and fewest interceptions (1).
Harold "Pete" Briese, Class of 1927
In 1972 a Madison newspaper named Harold "Pete" Briese "the most outstanding athlete in the state." Four years later, the Appleton Post-Crescent made a case for Briese as "the most outstanding Appleton athlete ever to compete in sports." After a remarkable prep career at Appleton High School, Briese brought his considerable talents to Lawrence and quickly established himself as one of Lawrence's first great intercollegiate athletes. He earned all-Midwest Conference and "all-state" honors in football, leading the league in scoring as a junior. Among many noteworthy performances were a six-touchdown day against Northwestern College and an 82-yard touchdown run against Carroll that lifted the Vikings to the 1924 Midwest Conference championship. In an era when basketball teams rarely scored more than 30 points, Briese averaged an outstanding 21.3 points per game as a senior. He earned all-conference honors three times, and his 50-foot shot helped the Vikings defeat Beloit, 28-27, for the 1925 league title. After playing professional football and basketball for two years, Briese went on to a successful career as a high school teacher and coach. He died in July 1996.
Coach Arthur Denney
A true pioneer in the world of intercollegiate athletics, Arthur Denney arguably had the single greatest impact on Lawrence athletics, recreation, and physical education in the college's history. During a 41-year career (1923-64), the longest tenure of anyone in the athletic department's history, Denney coached basketball, cross country, and track, served as the college's director of athletics, recreation, and physical education, and played a leading role in the development of the Midwest Conference. As a coach, Denney won 11 conference championships -- five in cross country, four in track and two in basketball, which, up until the 1996-97 season, were the Vikings only two. His leadership was instrumental in the expansion of varsity athletics at Lawrence, including the additions of tennis, golf, swimming, and wrestling. While coaching some of the greatest athletes in Lawrence annals, Denney's greatest legacy may be the benefits of life-long physical activity he promoted to all students through the curling, sailing, skiing, hiking, and horseback riding recreation programs he initiated. Denney died in December, 1964, six months after retiring from the athletic department.
Coach Althea Heimbach
Long before there was anything close to what is now known as women's sports/athletics, Althea Heimbach vigorously extolled the virtues of physical activity at Milwaukee-Downer College. During a teaching and coaching career that spanned 41 years (1919-60), Heimbach's spirit and zest personally touched more students' lives than anyone else, leaving an indelible imprint on the history of the college. Synonymous with physical education at Milwaukee-Downer, Heimbach coached everything from archery to volleyball, badminton to field hockey. In 1933, she began coaching rowing, which already was the college's most famous and favorite sport, and quickly elevated the program to unprecedented popularity. Five years later, nearly one-third of the student body was reportedly trying out for the crew team. A Milwaukee-Downer rowing shell was christened the "Althea" in Heimbach's honor in 1938 and raced for more than 20 years after that. In 1992, the Lawrence crew team paid tribute to Heimbach's rowing legacy, christening one of its own racing shells "Althea." Heimbach died in Texas in 1992 at the age of 97.
Gary Hietpas, Class of 1968
The personification of the term "football player," Gary Hietpas collected almost as many broken noses (7) during his prep and college career as he did honors. Once hailed by Viking football coaching legend Bernie Heselton as "the best defensive player ever to play at Lawrence," Hietpas was that and more. A tremendously versatile player, his réé also included running back, punt and kickoff returner and place-kicker. His three-year career included two team "Mr. Defense" awards, Midwest Conference defensive player of the year honors, and All-America recognition from the Associated Press as a senior. He set the tone for the Vikings' 1967 championship season -- the only 8-0 mark in school history -- with a tour de force performance in the season opener against Coe, recording 15 unassisted tackles and scoring 16 of the team's 22 points on and eight-yard touchdown run, three fields, and an extra point. In addition to football, he also earned a pair of letters in baseball and was the team's captain one season.
Patrick Schwanke, Class of 1983
Making the tough catch at crucial times became Pat Schwanke's trademark on Saturday afternoons during a stellar four-year career as a Viking tight end. No catch was tougher, nor more crucual, than the third-down, 13-yard bullet he cradled in the end zone in overtime that lifted the Vikings to a 21-14 win against Minnesota-Morris in the NCAA playoffs and propelled Lawrence into the national semifinals. The Vikings compiled an amazing 33-5 record in Schwanke's four seasons -- the most successful span in school history -- and captured three consecutive Midwest Conference championships (1979-81). He holds school records for career touchdown receptions (30), touchdowns in a season (15), receiving yards in a season (1,040) and ranks fourth on the Vikings' all-time receptions list (113) and third in career yards (2,058). His 18.2 yards-per-catch career average is the second-best in Vikings history. A first-team all-Midwest Conference selection as a junior and senior, Schwanke earned All-America honors in 1981 and 1982.
