2011 Hall of Fame Inductees

James Newton “Newt” Greaser Newt Greaser was an assistant football coach for the Falcons for 19 years and was a key part of the team’s run to eight Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships and the team’s first ever appearance in a post-season playoff game. In 1970 he met then Head football Coach Mike Farley and the two developed both a friendship and a coaching style that was the envy of teams from across the country. Greaser was the team’s offensive line coach and developed a rapport with his student-athletes that is still alive today. Today he is still “coaching” and advising several of the players he coached at UWRF. He was an assistant coach from 1970-89 and had players named to All-American teams 16 times and players named to the all-conference team 30 times. The 1975 team won the University’s first conference championship since the 1958 season. In 1979 the Falcons finished the regular season 9-1 and won the conference title with a 7-1 record. The team advanced to the NAIA Div. I playoffs – the first Falcon football team to ever reach post-season play. Greaser's outstanding coaching was a key to the team's success in 1986. That year the Falcons led the NCAA Div. III in rushing averaging 361.4 yards a game. The 1986 team won the WIAC title with two Falcon offensive linemen earned All-WIAC first team honors. In March 2012, he will be inducted into the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame. What makes Greaser’s accomplishments with the Falcons even more special was the fact that he coached every season as a volunteer.
Al Space Al Space was a member of the Falcon baseball team for three seasons and earned letters in 1963, 1964 and 1965. He was a key player on the 1964 and 1965 teams that won WIAC Championships under Coach Don Page. In 1964 Space hit .491 and his average was the best in all of college baseball. He earned All-American honors after the 1964 season. The Falcons competed in the NAIA District 14 playoffs that year. In 1965 he hit .440 for the WIAC championship winning team.
Gary Rayeske Gary Rayeske earned four letters with the Falcon track & field team from 1972-75 and his specialty was the weight events. In 1974 he set a conference record in the shot put with his throw of 54-9 ½. The 1974 title was just one of three he won at WIAC meets. He also won individual crowns in 1973 (54-1 ¾) and 1975 (54-3). His shot put record stood until 1984 and he is still just one of a handful of WIAC field athletes who have won three WIAC individual titles.
Tim Kelley Tim Kelley won back-to-back WIAC golf individual championships for the Falcons in 1977 and 1978. At the time he was the first golfer in WIAC history to win back-to-back individual titles. Kelley went on to compete in the NAIA National golf Championships. He earned three letters for the Falcons and was named to All-WIAC teams in 1977 and 1978. Kelley was the team’s captain in 1977 and 1978. He was also a member of the 1976 Falcon hockey team that competed in the NAIA National playoff series.
Clark Luessman Clark Luessman played football for the Falcons and earned four letters from 1982-85 and baseball earning two letters in 1982-83. He was a quarterback on the 1984 and 1985 football teams that won WIAC championships. He was the team's starting quarterback in the 1982, 1984 and 1985 seasons. He was the team’s captain in 1985 and voted Most Improved in 1982. Luessman led the Falcons in passing and total offense in 1982 and 1985. He earned honorable mention to the 1985 All-WIAC team and that year was named the team's Offensive Player of the Year. Luessman was the baseball team's starting catcher in 1982 and 1983.
Jim Benick Jim Benick played football for the Falcons from 1983-86 as an offensive lineman. He earned four letters. Benick was named to the first All-WIAC team in 1986 and to the second teams in 1984 and 1985. The Falcons won three WIAC team championships (1984, 1985, 1986) with Benick in the lineup. He earned honorable mention All-American honors after his senior season. He helped the Falcons lead the NCAA in rushing average in 1986.
Kara Nielsen Kara Nielsen was an all-around Falcon student-athlete who earned 11 letters in three sports – softball (1983-86), volleyball (1984, 1986-87) and basketball (1984-87). She had a huge impact on the softball field where she earned All-WIAC first team honors for four straight years. In her second season she led the Falcons in 12 categories including innings pitched (150.1), shutouts (6), wins (12), stolen bases (15), slugging percentage (.483), RBI (29), doubles (6) and triples (6).
Jen (Frodl) Jacobson Jen (Frodl) Jacobson played volleyball from 1993-96 for the Falcons and was named to the first AVCA All-American and All-WIAC teams in 1996. She was named to the AVCA All-Midwest Region teams in 1995 and 1996. Jacobson helped the Falcons to the 1996 WIAC tournament championship, the first title ever won by the team. She also played on two NCAA national tournament-qualifying teams (1995, 1996). Jacobson helped the 1995 team to a 38-7 record and the 38 wins is a single-season record. Jacobson is still UWRF’s career blocks leader (427). She still holds several Falcon career and season records.
Melissa (Mattson) Wasmoen Melissa (Mattson) Wasmoen played volleyball for the Falcons from 1997-2000 and was a four-year starter. In 2000 she was named the WIAC’s Player of the Year and the Scholar-Athlete. She was the first Falcon volleyball player to earn the Scholar-Athlete award. Wasmoen was named to the AVCA All-Midwest Region teams in 1998, 1999 and 2000 and was named to the second AVCA All-American team in 1999 and 2000. She earned CoSIDA Academic All-American honors in 2000. Wasmoen was named to the All-WIAC first teams in 1989, 1999 and 2000. She played on three NCAA national tournament-qualifying teams (1998, 1999, 2000). Wasmoen still holds several career records.