Often referred to as the pioneer of Kenyan running, Joe is perhaps the greatest track athlete ever at the University of Wyoming. A four-year letterman from 1977-82, Nzau was a six-time All-America and voted Wyoming’s Most Valuable Track Athlete all four years he competed. As a freshman at UW, Nzau finished 21st in the country in cross country and helped Wyoming finish third NCAA Championships. That year he earned his first All-America honor. As a sophomore, Nzau was two-time All-America in the 10,000 meters and fourth in the 3,000 meter steeple chase. As a senior, Joe would round out his collegiate career with his sixth All-America honor, with a fourth-place finish in the 10,000 meters. After graduating from UW with a degree in engineering, Joe competed in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, Calif., for his native Kenya. In the `84 Summer Games, he would finish sixth in the marathon and 10th in the 10,000 meters.

Inducted September 19, 1997

Honors and Awards

• Six-time All-America
• Voted Wyoming’s Most Valuable Track Athlete four years
• Competed for Kenya in the 1984 Olympic Games

Ronda Munger was one of the greatest homegrown volleyball players in Wyoming history. As a four-year starter for the Cowgirls at her outside hitter position, Munger led Wyoming to its first ever NCAA Tournament berth in 1986. She also led the team in kills with 365, and received second team High Country Athletic Conference honors. As a senior, Munger would become the first Cowgirl volleyball player ever to be selected all-West Region by the American Volleyball coaches Association. During her senior campaign, Munger would once again lead the team in kills with 515. For her efforts her senior year, Munger earned the honors of First Team High Country Athletic Conference and Defensive Player of the Year in the HCAC. For her career, ronda recorded 1,536 kills and 1,108 digs. Both records still stand today at the University of Wyoming. Munger also holds school records in kills in a single match with 42 in five games. She played in 415 games in her career to be ranked sixth all-time.

Inducted September 19, 1997

Honors and Awards

• High Country Athletic Conference Honors
• First Cowgirl selected All-West Region
• Holds school records in season kills, digs, and kills in a single match.

Stig Hallingbye is the first skiing inductee into the University of Wyoming Athletics Hall of Fame. The Slependen, Norway native earned All-America honors three times during his career at Wyoming in the Nordic events, including First-Team honors his freshman and sophomore seasons. Over his four year career at UW, Hallingbye won two National Championships in cross-country and helped guide the Pokes to two second place finishes, one third place finish, and one fourth place finish in the NCAA Championships. After earning his degree in Agriculture Economics, Stig returned to the slopes as an assistant head coach for UW. Over the next four years, Hallingbye would coach both the men’s and women’s cross country teams and the jumping team. During his tenure as an assistant coach, he would guide four national champions in cross country and jumping. Hallingbye also earned a master’s degree from UW in Agriculture Economics.

Inducted September 19, 1997

Honors and Awards

• Three-time All-America honors
• Two Cross Country National Championships

Known as “Alexander the Great”, Joe Alexander is regarded by many as one of the most flamboyant bareback riders ever to compete for Wyoming, and is the first rodeo participant to be inducted into the University of Wyoming Athletics Hall of Fame. The Cora, Wyo., native competed for Wyoming Rodeo Club team as a bareback rider in 1968 and 1969. In 1968, he place third at the National College Finals Rodeo in bareback riding, and ranked in the Top 10 in bareback riding in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association standing both years at UW. Joe transferred to Wyoming from Casper College where he won a National College Finals Rodeo Championship and led the NIRA in bareback riding in 1967. After graduating from Wyoming with a degree in Agriculture business, Joe won a record five consecutive world bareback championships from 1971 to 1975. He also owns the world record for the best score ever in bareback riding with a 93 at the Grand Daddy of `Em All, Cheyenne Frontier days in 1974. Over his illustrious career, Joe competed in 13 National Finals Rodeos, and was selected to the Professional rodeo cowboys Association hall of Fame.

Inducted September 19, 1997

Honors and Awards

• National College Rodeo Championship
• Selected to the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Hall of Fame

• 1949-50 Men’s Basketball Captain
• 1949-50 Most Valuable Player, Basketball

A Worland native and one of the greatest all-around athletes ever to compete for Wyoming, Kathy Van Heule-Romsa made a name for herself in the heptathlon. After transferring to Wyoming as a sophomore from Florida State, she was a three-time High Country Athletic Conference (HCAC) Track & Field Athlete of the Year in 1983, 1984 and 1985. Kathy was a back-to -back-to-back HCAC heptathlon champion during those years, and was also the HCAC 100-meter hurdles champion in 1985. During the 1984 conference championships she scored an amazing total of 46 points for the team, all while nursing an injured ankle. Kathy is the HCAC record holder in the heptathlon and holds UW records in the heptathlon and the mile medley relay. At one time she also held UW records in the 55-meter hurdles, 100-meter hurdles, high jump and the 100-meter dash. A two-time NCAA qualifier, Kathy received an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Award and served as a UW assistant track coach for three years following her senior year.

Inducted September 25, 1998

Honors and Awards

• Three-time High Country Athletic Conference Track &Field Athlete of the Year
• Holds Wyoming records in heptathlon and mile medley relay

Also know as “Mastro” or “Joe the Toe,” Joe Mastrogiovanni would come to be one of the most memorable and flamboyant football players in Wyoming history. A two-way player, who came to Wyoming as a halfback, Mastrogiovanni would become Wyoming’s first throwing quarterback. Joe was in all aspects a leader on his teams, leading the Pokes in passing for three years, total offense and scoring for two years, and in punting and interceptions for one year each. Twice selected to the All-Skyline first-team and once a second-team selection, Mastrogiovanni led the nation in rushing the first eight weeks of the 1955 season, before finishing second nationally and earning honorable mention All-American honors from AP and UPI. The Cowboys were 19-11-1 from 1953-55, and in 1955 Joe led a talented Cowboy team to the Sun Bowl. Unfortunately, he was injured in the last regular-season game and could not play in the bowl game. A gifted athlete, Mastrogiovanni served at times as the Cowboys’ placekicker and was responsible for three game-winning field goals in the 1954 season. Joe also competed for the Wyoming swimming team and was a letterman on the 1955 Cowboy baseball team as a catcher.

Inducted September 25, 1998

Honors and Awards

• Wyoming’s first throwing quarterback
• Honorable Mention All-American selection

Eric Leckner was one of the greatest and most beloved basketball players ever at the university of Wyoming. A four-year starter at center for the cowboys, Eric played on some of the most memorable Wyoming basketball teams in recent history. Leckner played a huge role on the Cowboys’ NIT runner-up team in 1986, as well as the 1987 and 1988 NCAA Tournament teams. A two-time, first-team all-WAC selection his junior and senior years, Eric led his teams to WAC Tournament titles in 1987 and 1988, the WAC regular season title in 1986, as well as the WAC Tournament runner-up position that year. He still holds the distinction of being the only three-time UW scoring list behind Fennis Dembo and Flynn Robinson, second in blocked shots behind Theo Ratliff and eighth on the all-time rebounding list. Following his career at Wyoming, Eric was drafted in the NBA through 1997, spending time with Sacramento, Charlotte, New York and Detroit.

Inducted September 25, 1998

Honors and Awards

• Two-time, First-team All-WAC selection
• Three-time WAC Tournament Most Valuable Player

A classy, hard-hitting infielder, Bob Jingling is described by UW Hall of Fame Baseball Coach Bud Daniel as the most outstanding player on the field, in academic performance, and in personal conduct that he had the opportunity to coach . Jingling was a two-time All-Skyline player in history. He was selected at shortstop, the only two-time All-Skyline player in history. He was selected second-team All-American in 1954, first-team in the 1955 and was a member of the U.S. Baseball team in the 1955 Pan Am games. He was the first player in UW history to be named first-team All-American and only the second in Skyline Conference history. His four-year collegiate bating average was an impressive .371, and over the course of 118 games, Jingling clouted 16 home runs and 18 triples. His career fielding percentage was .907 with his best year coming as a senior when he fielded .934. He hit .413 as a senior and led the Pokes to two consecutive Skyline Conference titles. Jingling was also the recipient of the 1955 Admiral Land Award at UW. Upon leaving Wyoming, Jingling signed with the Detroit Tigers. Following a brief stint in the pros, Jingling returned to Wyoming to serve as an assistant coach and also spent one year as the Cowboys’ head coach in 1962.

Inducted September 25, 1998

Honors and Awards

• 1955 First-team All-American
• Two-time All-Skyline Conference Selection