NAMPA, Idaho - Representing athletic excellence, coaching prowess, and innovative vision, Dorothy (Mittleider) Anderson, Matt Garringer, LaMont Lee, and Ed Weidenbach comprise the 13th class to be inducted into the Northwest Nazarene University Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday night in Nampa.

 

The induction ceremony was held at halftime of the Crusaders 88-86 overtime victory over Western Washington University.

 

Dorothy (Mittleider) Anderson enters the Hall of Fame for her accomplishments as a student-athlete on the court as a member of the NNU Tennis team.  An Idaho native from Meridian, Dorothy came to Northwest Nazarene College in 1956 and played on both the men's and women's tennis teams, playing in the number one position in both singles and doubles on both teams.  Dorothy lost only one match in her four-year career, falling to the number one player from the University of Utah men's team.  Playing against competition that ranged from NCAA Division I to small colleges, Dorothy was a formidable opponent and several times accepted forfeit victories because the men's opponent refused to play against her.

 

Off the court, Dorothy was invested in student life at NNC.  Serving as editor of both the Crusader Newspaper (1958-59) and Oasis Yearbook (1959-60), Dorothy was a three-year member of Gamma Nu Gamma and received the Zeta Kappa Rho honors for GPA achievement.  Named the Outstanding Graduating Senior in the class of 1960, Dorothy was also a Student Council member and an Athenian Society Officer.

 

A two-time NAIA All-American on the diamond, Matt Garringer (Emmett, ID) enters the Hall for his performance both on the field and in the classroom while a member of the Crusader Baseball team.  The most decorated baseball player in NNU history, Garringer was an NAIA All-American Honorable Mention selection in both 1988 and 1989, was a four-time NAIA District 2 First-Team All-Star ('86-'89), was named four times to the Timber Prairie Athletic Conference All-Star Team, and was the Co-Player of the Year in the Timber Prairie Athletic Conference in 1987 after finishing second nationally in the NAIA with a season batting average of .500.  In 1988, Matt was named the NAIA All-Area Team Designated Hitter and finished in the top-20 in the NAIA in Runs Batted In (12th), Home Runs (15th), and Hits (18th) during the 1989 season.

 

Team captain of his 1988 and 1989 teams, Matt holds numerous NNU career and single-season records, highlighted by the Highest Career Batting Average (.452), Career Home Runs (30), and Career Runs Batted In (140).  Still in the top-ten in all career offensive categories, Garringer's single season batting averages for all four years of his career are all in the top-ten all-time at NNU.

 

Named to the Timber Prairie Athletic Conference All-Academic Team all three years he was eligible, Matt was also the recipient of the Eldon Beer Award in 1986 and J.B. 'Pop' Frazier Award in both 1988 and 1989.

 

LaMont Lee joins the Hall posthumously in the category of meritorious service, having taught, coached, and served as the first Athletic Director at Northwest Nazarene College from 1945 to 1953.  During his tenure, he developed intercollegiate basketball, baseball, cross country and track, in addition to the football, basketball and track programs at College High School. He founded the college intramural program, developing it into one of the strongest of its kind in the Northwest, originated the annual “Turkey Bowl” intramural football game, the “Tip-Off” basketball contest, and the Society Jamboree basketball program.

 

An energetic and tireless worker, LaMont accomplished much with very few resources. Dedicated to the cause of Christian higher education, he was a friend and counselor of students and an encourager to all he encountered. LaMont used athletics and his Crusader teams as an avenue to reach out to the regional churches and connect those congregations with NNU, helping recruit students to the college and also serve as a tremendous ambassador with great vision for the university across the Northwest.

 

Men's basketball coach Ed Weidenbach (Nampa, ID) enters the hall having served as head coach for the Crusaders for eight seasons, compiling a 159-95 record that included five seasons of 20 or more wins and six consecutive trips to the NAIA National Tournament.  Coach Weidenbach guided the Crusaders to the NAIA Final Four three times and the national championship game in 1995.  Honored as the Cascade Conference Coach-of-the-Year in 1994, he was also named the Northwest Small College Coach-of-the-Year and the NAIA District 2 Coach-of-the-Year in 1992. 

 

Following the 1994-95 season, Coach Weidenbach was honored with the Leo Nicholson Award, recognizing NNU as the Best Small College in the Northwest during the previous season.

In his first year back at his alma mater Coach Weidenbach led the Crusaders to a Cascade League Championship and the NAIA District 2 Championship during the 1991-92 season, culminating with a trip to the NAIA National Tournament for just the second time in school history.  Beginning a run of excellence, Weidenbach's teams established a winning tradition, capturing Cascade Collegiate Conference titles in 1994 and 1995 and setting school records for most wins (27, '94-'95), longest winning streak (16, '93-'94), highest winning percentage (.794, '94-'95), and the first men's basketball NAIA All-American in school history ('93-'94).

This year's class join a prestigious group of 32 former athletes, coaches, administrators, and contributors to the athletic programs at NNU in the Hall of Fame.  The NNU Athletic Hall of Fame was founded in 1982 and is located in the upper level of the Johnson Sports Center on the NNU campus.