SMU Announces Third Athletics Hall Of Fame Class

[PonyPride]

From SMUMustangs.com:

SMU Announces Third Athletics Hall Of Fame Class

Bergqvist, Berry, Carter, Heidenreich, Koncak To Be Honored

March 2, 2010

DALLAS (SMU) - The SMU Athletic Department, in conjunction with the SMU Lettermen's Association, today announced the newest class of its Athletics Hall of Fame. The 2010 inductees - Kajsa Bergqvist, Raymond Berry, Michael Carter, Jerry Heidenreich and Jon Koncak - will be honored at a dinner and induction ceremony on Friday, May 7, at 7 p.m. at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas.

A brief listing of the class and their achievements follow:

Kajsa Bergqvist ('99) - 1997 & 1999 NCAA high jump champion; Co-holder of the collegiate outdoor record (1.95m); Olympic bronze medalist; World and European champion; World indoor record holder (2.08m); Swedish record holder (2.06m).

Raymond Berry ('55) - Member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame; One of six Mustang football players to have his jersey retired; Caught then-NFL-record 631 passes for 9,275 yards, 68 touchdowns in 13 seasons; All-NFL in 1958, 1959 & 1960; Elected to six Pro Bowls; Coached the New England Patriots to an AFC Championship and Super Bowl XX.

Michael Carter ('84) - A two-sport star; Is the only athlete to win an Olympic medal and a Super Bowl ring in the same year ('84); Three-time Pro Bowler and three-time Super Bowl winner; Won four indoor and three outdoor NCAA shot put championships; Won the silver medal in the shot at the 1984 Olympics; Played nine years with the San Francisco 49ers; Set the national high school record of 81 feet 3½ inches in the shot - No high school athlete has come within five feet of this record since.

Jerry Heidenreich ('72) - Set 17 school records and was an NCAA 200-yard freestyle champion; 23-time All-American; Won two gold medals, one silver and one bronze at the 1972 Olympics; Set six American records and six World Records; Member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

Jon Koncak ('85) - One of two Mustang men's basketball players to have his jersey retired; One of two consensus basketball All-Americans from SMU; Led the Mustangs to two NCAA Tournaments; Led the team in scoring his final three years while team compiled a 67-29 record in that span; Team spent the entire 1984-85 season in the Associated Press top-25, reaching as high as No. 2; Member of the gold-medal winning 1984 U.S. Olympic team; First-round selection of the Atlanta Hawks in the 1985 NBA Draft; Had a 12-year NBA career.

For tickets to the event, call 214-768-4575 or click here.

[Stallion]

Not popular opinion I'm sure but Raymond Berry would be pretty far down the list for me. There are many others who have a much greater impact on SMU Football than Raymond Berry-but he gets in for what he accomplished the NFL. Jerry Levias, Craig James, Kyle Rote are 3 names that come immediately to mind

[ontheedgeofmyseat]

Agree Stallion..also, Gene Phillips, Ira Terrell, John LaGrone, Dandy Don, Harry Shuford, Bobby Wilson

[BUS]

Don M. loves SMU.

[ontheedgeofmyseat]

Randy Phillips, Said Bagverdoni, Davey Williamson....Colt Knost, Joe Hager, Earl Stewart....

[Water Pony]

"Jerry Heidenreich ('72) - Set 17 school records and was an NCAA 200-yard freestyle champion; 23-time All-American; Won two gold medals, one silver and one bronze at the 1972 Olympics; Set six American records and six World Records; Member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame."

I helped recruit Jerry to SMU and he probably ranks as the greatest Olympic athlete ever to attend SMU. Tragically, we lost him several years ago, but he remains an iconic figure in SMU Swimming history.

Great choice!

[mrydel]

Had he not been a teammate of Mark Spitz, he would be a household name today.

[50's PONY]

1. There are things (including professional career and Olympic participation) other than one's career at SMU that are considered in determining one's eligibility for the SMU Athletics Hall of Fame.
2. Jerry Levias, Kyle Rote, John LaGrone, Don Meredith, Harry Shuford, and Bobby Wilson ARE already members of the SMU Athletics Hall of Fame. All of these guys were originally members of the SMU Dr. Pepper Hall of Fame and were grandfathered in with the original class three years ago.

[EastStang]

Heidenreich is due. Probably the greatest swimmer in SMU history. As one poster above said, if he hadn't been a teammate of Mark Spitz, all those silvers would have been gold. Including the .01second loss to Spitz.

[Vitale]

Better than Steve Lundquist and Martina Moravcova?

I didn't get a chance to see everyone in this year's class, but I remember Kajsa Bergqvist and Michael Carter, and they are deserving of every honor that comes their way.

[mrydel]

In my opinion, and that is all it is, Jerry was the best.

[ontheedgeofmyseat]

I was unaware of Jerry's roller coater life and eventual death..what a sad story. Would someone with more technical skills than I post his "story"..thanks. Jerry H. is the all time greatest SMU swimmer.

[Water Pony]

Jerry Heidenreich (February 4, 1950 – April 18, 2002) was an American swimmer and Olympic champion. He competed at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, where he received a gold medal in 4×100 m medley relay, and a gold medal in 4×100 m freestyle relay. He received a silver medal in 100 m freestyle, and a bronze medal in 100 m butterfly.

He swam for the Mustangs from 1968 to 1972 and won the NCAA National Championship in the Mens 200 Free, in an amazing 1:38.36, in 1972.

Jerry in on the right in this picture at the 1972 Olympics. Mark Spitz is the hairy one.