Produced a remarkable administrative career at the University of Wyoming Intercollegiate Athletics Department for over 20 years. Bill Young came to the University as its Sports Information Director in 1960 from Southern Illinois University. He served in that capacity for 16 years while reaching the top of his profession. During that time Wyoming enjoyed some of its greatest athletic successes. An innovator who was considered one of the very best in his field, Young was president of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) in 1968. In 1972, he was the recipient of the group’s highest honor, the Arch Ward Award. He was elected to the CoSIDA Hall of Fame in 1970. From 1969 through 1972, he was chairman of the NCAA Public Relations Committee. He was a three-time Wyoming Sportswriter of the Year. In 1973, he was information director for the U.S. teams at the World University Games in Moscow, USSR. In 1978 The Wyoming chapter of Sigma Delta Chi honored him with the Frank Norris, Jr., Award of Merit, given in recognition of distinguished service in journalism through the practice of media relations. He was named Assistant Athletics Director at UW, in April of 1975. He served in that capacity until 1981. Twice during that time he was named Acting Athletics Director (1980 and 1981). In 1982, Young moved to the UW News Service, and retired as its director in 1995. A 1955 journalism graduate of Southern Illinois, he earned his master’s degree in American Studies from UW. Prior to entering the sports information profession, he was a newspaper reporter, and a captain in the U.S. Air Force.
Inducted September 12, 2003
Wyoming’s first two-time All-American, and one of the most prolific receivers in Cowboy football history. Ryan Yarborough finished his career as the nation’s leader in receiving yards, most 200-yard receiving games, and most games catching a touchdown pass. He remains as Wyoming’s career touchdown-reception leader with 42. In 1992 Yarborough was selected to the Football Writers of America First team as a junior after leading the nation in receiving yards with 1,351 yards. He finished that year with 86 receptions and 12 touchdown catches. As a senior in 1993, Yarborough again led the nation in receiving with 1,584 yards. That season he caught 75 passes for 16 touchdowns. His totals broke the NCAA career receiving yardage record with 4,357 yards. He established or tied five NCAA records during his senior year. That season he caught 75 passes for 1,584 yards and 16 touchdowns. For his efforts he was named to the Associated Press and Football Writers of America first team. He tied the NCAA record for most 1,000-yard receiving seasons in a career with three, only the fourth player in history to accomplish that. His Cowboy records for career and single-season touchdown receptions still stand. He was a two-time All-Western Athletic Conference first-team receiver after his junior and senior seasons. Following his career at Wyoming, Yarborough was a second-round draft choice of the New York Jets. He played professionally for the Jets, the Baltimore Ravens, and the New Orleans Saints.
Inducted September 12, 2003
John Wodny was the most dominating distance runner in the Western Athletic Conference during his years at UW. Wodny is the only athlete to ever win three WAC individual cross country titles, in 1986, ’87 and ’89. He earned All-American honors in 1986 and 1989. In 1986, Wodny had one of the greatest seasons in Wyoming history, leading the Pokes to a WAC cross country team title and a berth in the NCAA’s where Wyoming finished 16th. He finished 15th in the nation which is the highest finish in school history. He also led the Pokes to another WAC championship in 1987. He was named WAC cross country athlete of the year three times, in 1986, ’87 and `89. On the track Wodny was a specialist in the 5,000-meter and 10,000-meter races. In 1988 he won the 5,000 WAC title and qualified for the NCAA’s in the 10,000 meters. He holds the Cowboy all-time record in the 2-mile run with a time of 8:49.50. He was awarded the 1990 Admiral Land Trophy as UW’s top student athlete
Inducted September 12, 2003
Willard “Dutch” Witte coached as many as four sports while at Wyoming during the 1930’s. A legendary basketball coach, Witte was known for his shy personality off the court, but as a fierce competitor on it. He coached the Cowboys to five Rocky Mountain Conference East Division titles and two outright conference titles. He compiled an outstanding career record of 134 wins and 51 losses over nine seasons. Witte’s most brilliant year came in 1934 when his Cowboys reeled off 20 straight wins– an accomplishment that has not been repeated — and finished the season with a conference championship, and a 26-3 record. The Cowboys were named the 1934 National Champions by the Helms Athletic Foundation, the only collegiate voting poll of the era. Witte produced Wyoming’s first All-Americans, as his starting five on the 1934 squad were named AAU All-Americans; Ed McGinty, Art Haman, John Kimball, Haskell Leuty and Les Witte. Under “Dutch”, the Cowboys won 52 consecutive games against Rocky Mountain East Division opponents in the Half Acre Gym. He also coached football for six seasons and compiled a record of 16-30-3. After coaching, Witte served as Director of Wyoming Athletics for many years and was a member of the National Basketball Association Rules Committee.
Inducted September 12, 2003
Considered Wyoming’s best women’s swimmer of all-time, Norma Hughes was the Cowgirls’ first All-American swimmer and their first NCAA qualifier. She currently owns six all-time swimming records; the 100-meter freestyle, 200-meter freestyle, 500-meter freestyle, 100-meter backstroke, 200-meter backstroke and 200 meter individual medley. Her dominance began as a freshman when she broke five school records and placed in the top three in three events at the 1990 High Country Athletic Conference Swimming and Diving Championships. Her sophomore season would be her break out year as she qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 100-meter and 200-meter backstroke. Her most decorated year was in 1992 when she won three Western Athletic Conference titles, set WAC records in the 100-meter and 200-meter backstroke and was named 1992 WAC Female Swimmer of the Year. She placed 16th at the NCAA Championships in the 200-meter backstroke earning her All-American honors. Injuries to her shoulder would force Hughes to redshirt the 1993 season but in 1994 she proved she still was one of the best in the WAC as she took home the conference crown in the 100-meter backstroke. To this day she overwhelms the UW swimming record book, ranking in the top ten in all thirteen swimming events.
Inducted September 12, 2003
One of Wyoming’s greatest impact defensive players of all time. As a freshman in 1975, Ken Fantetti was impressive enough to start for the Cowboys in the third game of the season. He would become one of the most devastating linebackers in Cowboy history. He was named to the Football Writers of America 35th annual All-American team following a spectacular senior season. He finished with 124 tackles that year including 73 unassisted stops. In his best game of that senior season, against Utah, he posted 15 unassisted tackles and nine assists, including two tackles for losses and a caused fumble, and was named Associated Press national lineman of the week. A ferocious hitter, Fantetti is fourth on Wyoming’s all-time career tackles list with 352. A two-time All-Western Athletic Conference first-team performer, Fantetti was the league’s Defensive Player of the Year as a senior. During his junior season of 1978, he totaled twice as many defensive points as any other defender on the team with 261, including 86 unassisted tackles, eight tackles for losses, three interceptions and three fumble recoveries. He was one of the fastest middle linebackers ever to play for the Cowboys. He was elected team captain for his senior season. Fantetti was drafted in the second round of the 1979 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions. He played with the Lions from 1979 through 1985.
Inducted September 12, 2003
Still holds all of Wyoming’s diving records, with the exception of platform events, which were not contested when he competed. A dominant diver, he won three WAC championships from 1983-85. In 1983, he placed 22nd in the three-meter springboard event as a sophomore at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships. During his junior year, he won all-America honors by placing 10th on the 3-meter springboard and 23rd on the one-meter springboard. He single-handedly led UW to a 29th place finish at the 1984 NCAA championships. An injury suffered at the 1985 WAC Championships prevented him from competing in the 1985 NCAA Diving Championships. He also served as Wyoming’s diving coach from 1985-1987 and coached three divers to the NCAA championships.
Inducted September 24, 2004
A four-year letterwinner and one of Wyoming’s greatest defensive tackles, Rabold had 23 tackles as a freshman defensive tackle in 1984, sat out the 1985 season after undergoing a spinal fusion, and moved to the offensive line in 1986. He was moved back to defensive tackle in 1987 and responded with an outstanding year, tallying 100 total tackles, 14 quarterback sacks, four tackles for lost yardage, nine quarterback hurries, and forced two fumbles while earning second-team all-conference honors. He had seven tackles and two sacks in the 1987 Holiday Bowl. He followed that up with an even more dominant senior year. In 1988, he started all 13 games for the Cowboys, compiling 85 total tackles, 16 sacks, two tackles for lost yards, two forced fumbles, and 18 quarterback hurries. For his efforts, he earned AP All-America honors and was named the WAC Defensive Player of the Year and first team all-conference. A team captain as a senior, he had 11 tackles, including three for lost yards, in the 1988 Holiday Bowl. The Cowboys were 21-3 during his junior and senior years, never losing a conference game and winning back-to-back Western Athletic Conference championships He was drafted in the 9th round of the 1989 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills.
Inducted September 24, 2004
A standout in several rodeo events, Ripsam won the 1990 National Intercollegiate Rodeo Finals Team Championship for UW by herself by finishing 2nd in goat-tying, and scoring in all three rounds of breakaway roping, while earning all-around champion honors. This was the first and only time an athlete scored all of her team’s points to win a national championship in rodeo. She qualified for the National finals in each of her three years at Wyoming, and graduated from UW in 1991. She went on to compete on the Pro Women’s Rodeo Association circuit from 1991-96, earning numerous championships.
Inducted September 24, 2004
A dominating two-way player, Levine was named first-team all-Skyline Conference on both offense and defense in 1961. After taking a redshirt year due to injury, Levine returned in 1963 to earn first-team all-WAC on defense, and was honored as lineman of the week. During his senior year of 1964, Levine was elected team captain, named first-team all-WAC, selected “All West” by Football Magazine and won the Humphrey Trophy as UW’s outstanding player. Coach Bob Devaney was quoted as saying “Bill Levine is probably the best all-around football player I ever coached.”
Inducted September 24, 2004
