Whitworth College will induct two outstanding former athletes
and a highly successful team as the Class of 2004 into its Heritage
Gallery Hall of Fame on Saturday morning, October 2nd. Football
All-American Wayne Buchert and basketball All-American Nate Dunham
will join the 1965 men's cross country team as this year's
class.
Wayne Buchert was one of two Pirate players named to the initial
NAIA All-American football team in 1954, culminating an outstanding
career as a halfback at Whitworth. During his senior season in 1954
Buchert was also named AP Little All-American, All-Pacific Coast
and All-Evergreen Conference after leading the Pirates to a perfect
8-0 season. He was also awarded the Snyder Inspiration Award by his
teammates that season. As a junior in 1953 he was named
All-Evergreen Conference and All-Pacific Coast after the Pirates
finished with a record of 7-1. Even as a sophomore in 1952 Buchert
was selected Second Team All-Evergreen Conference when the Pirates
went 4-3-1. Upon graduation in 1955, Buchert went on to play
football for the Marine Corps. He worked for the Immigration and
Naturalization Service for more than 20 years. Throughout his life,
Buchert continued to excel as an amateur athlete, winning various
golf, tennis and horseshoe tournaments in California and
Washington. Buchert passed away in December of 1988 after a
courageous battle with bone cancer.
Nate Dunham concluded his Whitworth College career as the final
NAIA basketball All-American in school history. By the time his
career was over, Dunham had scored 1,551 points, grabbed 678
rebounds and made 61.2% of his shots from the field, still a
Whitworth record. As a senior Dunham led the Pirates to a 26-5
record, an NCIC championship and to the brink of the NAIA Division
II national championship, before the team lost in overtime to
Albertson College. Dunham was named an NAIA Division II First Team
All-American, as well as the Northwest Conference of Independent
Colleges Player of the Year after averaging 16.5 points and 7.8
rebounds per game. As a junior he led Whitworth to a record of
18-10, including a victory over NCAA Division I Eastern Washington
University. He was selected to the All-NCIC First Team when he
averaged 17.2 points and 7.4 rebounds per contest. He started all
26 games as a sophomore, average 12.2 points and 4.5 rebounds. Even
as a freshman he played in every game and averaged nine points and
four rebounds. In addition to teaching and coaching after college,
Dunham continued to excel in basketball by leading his team to
victories in three Open Division championships at Spokane Hoopfest
(1998, 2000, 2002), the largest three on three basketball
tournament in the United States.
The 1965 men's cross country team at Whitworth College remains
one of the most talented and successful teams in Pirate athletics
history in any sport. The Pirates rolled to meet victories over
virtually every college program in the northwest, losing only to
Washington State University and the University of Washington during
the season. Whitworth easily won the NAIA District championship by
placing four runners in the top five final finishers. Monte Moore
finished second, Len Long was third, Loren McKnight was fourth,
Jerry Leonard was fifth and Lanny Clegg was 15th for a total of 29
points. Running in subfreezing temperatures at the NAIA
championships in Omaha, Nebraska, the Pirates earned a national
runner-up finish to Fort Hayes State (Texas). Len Long (11th
place), Jerry Leonard (12th) and Monte Moore (15th) all earned NAIA
All-American honors. The members of the 1965 men's cross country
team are: Lanny Clegg (an entrepreneur with more than 20 years in
construction contracting in Spokane, Washington), Wayne Henning (a
farmer in Thornton, Washington), Denny Lemmon (a teacher and coach
in Germany), Jerry Leonard (an independent manufacturers'
representative for sporting goods in Wilton, California), Len Long
(a teacher and coach in Spokane), Loren McKnight (an engineer with
27 years as a commander in the Naval Reserve in San Diego,
California), Loren Minnick (formerly a teacher and business
consultant, now a photographer in Portland, Oregon), Monte Moore (a
teacher and coach in Spokane) and Jerry Tighe (a teacher and coach
in Vancouver, British Columbia). The team was coached by Arnie
Pelluer and assisted by Tom Riddle.
The Whitworth Heritage Gallery, sponsored
by the Crimson Club, recognizes and celebrates former Pirate
coaches, athletes, staff and community contributors who have
excelled in their field, either at Whitworth or beyond Whitworth,
while representing the highest ideals of the school. The first
class was inducted in 1990. Previous inductees include former
football player and coach Sam Adams; Paul Merkel and the 1960 NAIA
championship baseball team; and Ray Washburn, a member of the
championship team who went on to star with the St. Louis Cardinals.
There are currently 49 individuals and four teams enshrined in the
Whitworth Heritage Gallery.
The induction will take place in
Whitworth's Hixon Union Building prior to the football game vs.
Eastern Oregon on October 2nd. It is open to the public. The cost
of the luncheon is $5 and prior reservations must be made by
calling the Whitworth Athletics Department (777-3224).
