MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE ANNOUNCES 2015 HALL OF FAME CLASS
Five iconic names in MAC history—Casey Cunningham, Bob Parks, Ben Roethlisberger, Gary Pinkel, George Dales—inducted into the MAC Hall of Fame.
Hall of Fame VIDEO Links below (Video tribute; Inductee Interview; Induction Speech) for each inductee
Cleveland, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference introduced its 2015 MAC Hall of Fame Class as five new members were inducted into the MAC Hall of Fame on Wednesday, May 27 during the MAC Honor’s Dinner at the Cleveland Renaissance Hotel.
The five inductees are Casey Cunningham (Central Michigan, wrestling), Bob Parks (Eastern Michigan, men’s cross country, men’s track and field), Ben Roethlisberger (Miami, football), Gary Pinkel (Toledo/Kent State, football) and George Dales (Western Michigan, men’s cross country, men’s track and field).
“It is only appropriate for our Conference to honor and celebrate the accomplishments of our former student-athletes, coaches and administrators, specifically these five individuals, and their achievements during their time competing in the Mid-American Conference,” said Dr. Jon Steinbrecher, MAC Commissioner. “We are honored to welcome them to the Mid-American Conference Hall of Fame.”
“The Mid-American Conference Hall of Fame is a testament to the achievements of those that have competed and served in this great Conference,” added Steinbrecher.
The MAC Hall of Fame was approved by the MAC Council of Presidents in 1987. The charter class was inducted in 1988 and subsequent classes were added in 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1994. After six induction classes, the MAC Hall of Fame maintained 52 members until it was reinstated in May of 2012. This year’s class brings the number of MAC Hall of Fame inductees to 77 individuals from 10 classes.
Complete bios for the 2015 MAC Hall of Fame Class are listed below.
Casey Cunningham- Central Michigan (wrestling):
Video: Casey Cunningham tribute
Video: Casey Cunningham interview
Video: Casey Cunningham induction speech
Casey Cunningham’s achievements on the mat are unmatched at Central Michigan and his impact helped build the Chippewas into one of the top wrestling programs in MAC history.
Cunningham won the 1999 NCAA National Championship at 157 pounds and became Central Michigan’s first Division I National Champion. He was a two-time All-American and a three-time MAC individual champion and was named MAC Wrestler of the Year in 1999.
Cunningham was also the MAC Championships Most Outstanding Wrestler in 1999 and MAC Freshman of the Year in 1996. His championship resume includes three Penn State Open titles and two Midlands Championships.
A four-time team MVP, Cunningham set school records with 134 career victories and ended his career with 31 pins. He twice competed in the NWCA All-Star Classic and led Central Michigan to two MAC Team Tournament Titles in 1998 and 1999.
Cunningham was Central Michigan’s first three-time Academic All-MAC selection and twice earned first-team NWCA Academic All-American honors.
Cunningham helped the Chippewas finish fifth as a team at the 1998 NCAA National Championships and seventh in 1999.
He had a successful post-collegiate career placing at the 2004 and 2008 USA Olympic Trials. Cunningham also served as an assistant coach for Central Michigan for seven seasons, helping the program win seven MAC Tournament titles.
Bob Parks- Eastern Michigan (men’s track and field/men’s cross country):
Video: Bob Parks tribute
Video: Bob Parks interview
Video: Bob Parks induction speech
Bob Parks was a collegiate runner at Eastern Michigan from 1951-55 and was the school’s Head Men’s Track and Field and Cross Country Coach for 34 years. He retired in 2001 having established a tradition of success within the Eagles cross country and track and field programs.
Under his guidance, his Eagles teams won a total of 31 MAC titles and he was named MAC Coach of the Year 22 times. His teams won six NAIA and NCAA team titles, and he was named NCAA National Coach of the Year once and regional Coach of the Year nine times.
Parks coached eight athletes who competed in 13 Olympic Games. He coached an athlete in every Olympic Games from 1960 to 2004 -- including such greats as Hasely Crawford, winner of the 1976 Olympic Gold Medal in the 100m; Earl Jones, winner of the 1984 Olympic Bronze Medal in the 800m; and Clement Chukwu (chook-woo), winner of the Silver Medal as part of a 4x400m relay team in the 2000 Games.
Parks coached 31 NAIA and NCAA national champions, and his dual meet record stands at 162-14-1 and coached more than 110 All-Americans.
During his career, Eastern Michigan’s cross country program compiled a dual meet record of 132-24-1. Parks led Eastern Michigan to win the 1967 and 1970 NAIA National Championship and the 1970 NCAA Division II National title.
Eastern Michigan joined the MAC and NCAA Division I status in 1972, where they won two district championships and qualified for the NCAA Championship meet seven times with the best finish coming in sixth place in 1974.
Parks and his wife Pat have two daughters, Sue and Sarah, and a son, Scott. His daughter Sue Parks is the current Eastern Michigan Women’s Head Track and Field and Cross Country Coach. The track inside Eastern Michigan’s Bowen Field House is also named in his honor.
Ben Roethlisberger- Miami (football):
Video: Ben Roethlisberger tribute
Video: Ben Roethlisberger interview
Video: Ben Roethlisberger induction speech
At the end of his collegiate career, Ben Roethlisberger held every major passing record in Miami University history.
Roethlisberger threw for 10,829 yards and 84 touchdowns in only three seasons from 2001-03. His junior campaign was one for the ages, throwing for 4,486 yards and 37 touchdowns, leading Miami to 12-consecutive wins, including a MAC Championship and GMAC Bowl victory.
A Third-Team Associated Press All-American in 2003 and Freshman All-American in 2001, Roethlisberger was named MAC Freshman of the Year in 2001 and MAC Offensive Player of the Year in 2003.
He was a three-time All-MAC selection, earning first-team honors in 2003 and second-team recognition twice.
A three-year letterwinner, Roethlisberger forewent his final season of eligibility to enter the 2004 NFL Draft. He was the 11th overall selection by the Pittsburgh Steelers, the highest draft pick in program history.
Roethlisberger guided the Steelers to two Super Bowl titles and became the youngest quarterback in NFL history to win a Super Bowl during the 2005 season. A three-time Pro Bowl selection, Roethlisberger was tabbed the NFL Rookie of the Year in 2004. He has thrown for over 39,000 yards and 250 touchdowns in his NFL career, in fact in 2014 he set the NFL single-game passing record with 522 yards passing in a single-game and set another NFL record with 12 passing touchdowns combined in two games.
Roethlisberger to this day still ranks first in Miami history in completion percentage and touchdowns, and is second in pass attempts, completions, yards and total offense (11,075).
Miami retired his jersey No. 7 in 2007 and he returned to Oxford and graduated with a bachelors degree in education in May of 2012.
Gary Pinkel- Toledo/Kent State (football):
Video: Gary Pinkel tribute
Video: Gary Pinkel interview
Video: Gary Pinkel induction speech
Gary Pinkel has a long association with the Mid-American Conference from his time as Toledo head football coach from 1991-2000, to his origins as a Kent State football player and graduate.
Pinkel’s 73 career wins is the most in Toledo school history and also ranks fifth in MAC history. His 53 Conference wins ranks fourth and his .659 winning percentage ranks eighth in league history. He was also named MAC Coach of the Year in 1995 and 1997.
He led Toledo to a MAC Championship in 1995, as the Rockets went 11-0-1, won the Las Vegas Bowl and ended the season ranked No. 22 in the final coaches’ poll. He also led his team to MAC West Division titles in 1997 and 1998. In his final season at Toledo in 2000, Pinkel’s Rockets went 10-1, including a 24-6 win at Penn State. Overall, his teams ranked in the Top 25 in three different seasons (1995, 1997 and 2000).
In Pinkel’s 10 seasons at Toledo, Rockets players were named to the Academic All-MAC team or Honor Roll 61 times, more than any other league school over that time period.
Pinkel left Toledo to accept the head coaching position at Missouri, leading the Tigers into the top 10 in 2007 and 2008, as well as SEC East titles in 2013 and 2014. He is also Missouri’s all-time leader in wins, making him the career wins leader at two FBS schools.
Pinkel was a three-time letter winner as a tight end at Kent State from 1971-73. In his senior season, he earned All-MAC and honorable mention All-America honors. He has the unique distinction of being in the Hall of Fame at both Kent State and Toledo, and now the Mid-American Conference Hall of Fame.
George Dales- Western Michigan (men’s cross country and men’s track and field):
Video: George Dales tribute
Video: George Dales interview
Video: George Dales induction speech
During George Dales tenure as coach, Western Michigan won back-to-back NCAA Cross Country Championships in 1964 and 1965, and accumulated 12 MAC titles in track & field and another eight in cross country. His cross country teams finished in the top 10 nationally on 13 occasions. He was the 1970 NCAA Track Coach of the Year.
Dales never experienced a losing season at Western Michigan, compiling an impressive career 113-35 record in dual track meets and 79-13-1 in cross country. His athletes earned 25 All-American honors, producing 11 in track & field and another 14 in cross country.
Dales graduated from Miami University in 1942, earned his masters from Michigan and eventually joined the Western Michigan staff in 1953, where it did not take him long to build the Broncos into a national powerhouse.
Among the athletes he coached was Olympic Gold Medalist Ira Murchison, world record holder in the 100m and 1956 Olympic winner in the 4 x100 meter. Murchison also captured the NCAA 100 yard dash title in 1958, while John Bork, won the 880 meter NCAA title three years later.
Dales was a charter member inducted into the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1995. He is a member of the Western Michigan Athletics Hall of Fame, the Miami University Athletics Cradle of Coaches and the Drake Relays Hall of Fame.
The most prestigious honor a coach can receive from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association is the “George Dales Award”, named in honor of Dales for his relentless pursuit for the growth and development of the sports for more than half a century.
Dales retired as Western Michigan’s track and cross-country coach in 1970. He continued working at the university on the physical education staff until he retired as a professor in 1987.
Dales continued to serve and advance the sports for several years, holding positions as the commissioner of the Central Collegiate Conference, President of the International Track & Field Coaches Association, and leadership for the NCAA Division I Track & Field Coaches Association for 25 years.
