The Hall of Fame set up in CU's George Boedecker Gym.
Photo by: Bart Emery
Live From CU's Athletic Hall of Fame Induction
November 04, 2021 | General
Nine new Buffaloes Set For Induction
Video links to watch a replay of tonight's event:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZSrsfVhI6kObEjKpiZOpp4NxvrcvNYjb
https://vimeo.com/641271366
Welcome to one of our most special nights of the year in CU Athletics … the annual induction of the newest members into the CU Athletic Hall of Fame. Tonight, we are welcoming nine new inductees in the Hall's 16th class, as these Golden Buffalo legends represent eight different sports, one who lettered in four of those, along with a national championship coach, and all who have their special place in history created during their careers in a group that collectively covers over a century of CU athletics.
To read about the class, complete with in-depth biographies, click on this link: https://cubuffs.com/news/2021/5/24/general-cu-athletic-hall-of-fame-to-induct-nine-in-2021-class.aspx
Comments from each inductee were posted throughout the evening. Congratulations to the newest nine!
We are underway … Mark Johnson, the voice of the Buffaloes, is the emcee … as always … Volleyball senior Taylor DeProsse opened things up; she's the president of CU's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and spoke about SAAC and CU's student-athletes in general.
Next up was Kimbirly Orr, CU's executive director of the Alumni C-Club … she asked all previous letterwinners to stand and be recognized, as well as all previous Hall of Fame inductees. Several are in attendance this evening.
Rick George took the stage, highlighted those being inducted and pointed out the incredible legacies they left here … he fast-forwarded to today's student-athletes and their accomplishments, most recently the sweep of the Pac-12 Cross County Championships.
Donnie Boyce, Basketball (1991-95)
Chris Brown, Football (2001-02)
She ended with thanking her parents, especially for driving her all across Colorado to play soccer and "knowing how much it cost to raise a child like me."
Chris Naeole, Football (1992-96)
Mickey Pruitt, Football (1984-87)
Mickey took the stage and flashed that famous smile he carried around campus. He thanked Rick for calling him (and said he gave him 20 minutes to speak). He thanked Bill and Connie Marolt and Bill McCartney.
"I wasn't coming here, but once I got to campus, everything changed. The mountains, the sun. It changed my life. What coach Mac did with the class of '83 was incredible. He redshirted all of us except two (Jon Embree, Ed Reinhardt). We had the powder blue, but went back to black and gold. I made the best choice of my life to come to CU. My dad is looking down on us but my mom is here. Coming from Chicago was tough; it was a learning experience."
He was surprised by his brother Tony who came – he played two years of basketball at CU. He made it a point to thank the parents of teammate David Tate—"Coach Mac would pair the out of state players with those from in-state." He noted he didn't go home much to Chicago because of his second family in Colorado, but did point out the other Chicagoans in this class ("this is a great class!").
Dathan Ritzenhein, Cross Country & Track (2001-04)
"When Rick called me about this a few months ago, I had just relocated back to Boulder. I got off a plane from a meet and I had a message from Rick. First thought was what did I do? Did I commit a major violation?
Setting foot on the CU campus really changed the trajectory of my life. I had a great career at CU and then professionally and got my degree in History. I know more about running than history." He noted the culture of the track program is the same today as it was then, and referenced the coaches who are still here. "The things I learned from the culture of the team here I carried through my professional career. I learned about teamwork.
"I was away from here for about 15 years and I got the call to get a job here, and one of those athletes he would be coaching would be (CU All-American) Joe Klecker," he knew he had to come back.
Richard Rokos, Ski Coach (1987-2021)
"(Mark Johnson) forgot to mention in all those stats that I survived six presidents, seven CU presidents and eight football coaches. In the beginning, there is opportunity. The beginning of my opportunity was my wife (Helena). A coaches job is very difficult, you travel a lot and you're not home very much. Then Bill Marolt … the first one to give me an opportunity that turned into a life-long love."
I have a great relationship with everyone as this school. Relationships that will last forever. He noted that he bumped into members of the '94 team that had all got together to do a bike ride from Copper Mountain over to Fruita.
"My wife's on Facebook, I'm not so she keeps track. All those babies, marriages (he performed over 40)." He then spoke for a bit about team doctors, watching surgeries.
"I am not leaving. I'll be around. Go Buffs."
Jack Ryan, Gymnastics (1966-68)
"I was trying to figure out why I was next to last in the lineup. Was it because of age? Then I looked at Richard. Then I thought it was major sports to minor sports, but that wasn't it. Then I decided it was from the ugliest to the prettiest."
He said when Rick called to tell him, "I almost didn't answer the phone. I thought he was going to sell me some car insurance." He said he had a pommel horse is his garage growing up, and the last time he touched one was when he won the NCAA meet (in 1968). Everything was the accumulation of the time and dedication.
He specifically thanked his teammates and his coach – Art White (who traveled here from Ohio). Oklahoma, Nebraska and Iowa State were the powerhouses when I got here, but by the time I was a senior, my team was right there with them and they were depending on my score to finish sixth in the nation. People don't think about gymnastics as a team sport.
He went on to note that there were several great high school programs in the area, and closed with two people instrumental in his success, his wife of 57 years (Tracey) and accepted the award for his personal savior, Jesus.
"Until I got the call from Rick, that had all been in the past."
Lee Willard, Football, Basketball, Baseball & Track (1918-22)
Lee passed away at the age of 73 in 1974; accepting on his behalf will be his grandnephew (and former CU athletic trainer, Steve Willard)
Steve thanked the committee, and poked fun at me "for being in the press box for all 16 of his uncle's letters" and then noted how he was being pimped by friends who said, "You've got a relative that earned 16 letters and you can't hit a golf ball 100 yards?"
My great uncle Lee started a great tradition at CU. My grandfather didn't go here but was a donor, my father graduated in the 1954 and we've had season tickets ever since.
"I did some research about my uncle, who was here over 100 years ago and found several of his quotes, some that are still some common truths today." He quoted several:
"As a rule, get along with people with various viewpoints … An inquisitive mind with constructive ideas will carry a person far … I would advise the athletes of today to be aware of glory, it can go away very quickly (and that was said around 1922).
And when asked why he was such a good athlete, he simply said "desire." And then the "love of the game."
And with that, another spectacular evening came to an end … a well-oiled machine, big kudos to Alumni C-Club Director Kimbirly Orr.
If you're a CU fan and have never attended this event, trust me – put it on your bucket list! Go Buffs!
DP
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZSrsfVhI6kObEjKpiZOpp4NxvrcvNYjb
https://vimeo.com/641271366
Welcome to one of our most special nights of the year in CU Athletics … the annual induction of the newest members into the CU Athletic Hall of Fame. Tonight, we are welcoming nine new inductees in the Hall's 16th class, as these Golden Buffalo legends represent eight different sports, one who lettered in four of those, along with a national championship coach, and all who have their special place in history created during their careers in a group that collectively covers over a century of CU athletics.
To read about the class, complete with in-depth biographies, click on this link: https://cubuffs.com/news/2021/5/24/general-cu-athletic-hall-of-fame-to-induct-nine-in-2021-class.aspx
Comments from each inductee were posted throughout the evening. Congratulations to the newest nine!
We are underway … Mark Johnson, the voice of the Buffaloes, is the emcee … as always … Volleyball senior Taylor DeProsse opened things up; she's the president of CU's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and spoke about SAAC and CU's student-athletes in general.
Next up was Kimbirly Orr, CU's executive director of the Alumni C-Club … she asked all previous letterwinners to stand and be recognized, as well as all previous Hall of Fame inductees. Several are in attendance this evening.
Rick George took the stage, highlighted those being inducted and pointed out the incredible legacies they left here … he fast-forwarded to today's student-athletes and their accomplishments, most recently the sweep of the Pac-12 Cross County Championships.
Donnie Boyce, Basketball (1991-95)
The first inductee of the night, always the toughest when it comes to speaking. How long do I go? But there is a "5:00" clock timing the speeches. He opened with mentioning how it practices in the mirror, when he speaks publicly. He thanked his family, and brought up losing a sister just this week to cancer ("I love you Raquel."). He thanked a roll call of his teammates during his playing days, for always pushing him to be his best and the camaraderie they built in trying to get the program into a winning mode.
He thanked Bill and Connie Marolt in particular - both of whom gave him pep talks while he was down at times during his college days, and also his father-in-law.
"I broke my leg my senior year, a lot of people felt like that was the end of my career. But the one thing that helped get over it was my faith in the Lord. I want to thank the Lord for giving me the strength."
He thanked Bill and Connie Marolt in particular - both of whom gave him pep talks while he was down at times during his college days, and also his father-in-law.
"I broke my leg my senior year, a lot of people felt like that was the end of my career. But the one thing that helped get over it was my faith in the Lord. I want to thank the Lord for giving me the strength."
Chris Brown, Football (2001-02)
"I've been asked many times what I'm going to say up here. So now we're about to find out. I want to thank God for giving me the strength to compete, my family for being there through all the ups and downs. He thanked his offensive line, they had to fight 300-pounders every play." He also did a roll call of his linemen that blocked for him, and the "Alaskan Assassin[DP1] ," Brandon Drumm (the name given to Drumm by ABC's Brent Musburger). He thanked Gary Barnett who gave him the chance to play running back when others wanted me at other positions. "He gave me that chance." Next, I gotta thank EB (Eric Bieniemy). If you weren't coached by EB, you don't know don't what being coached hard is. He made me understand the game of football, he made my transition into the pros easier. Also, Steve Willard, my trainer, nobody knew how hurt I often was. He wrapped up by thanking me (the writer) and how after each Friday walkthrough I'd predict how many yards he'd get the next day, and how I was one yard off at UCLA (predicted 187, he had 188).
Nikki Marshall, Soccer (2006-09)
She opened by thanking Chris Brown for crying first during his speech. I can't really put in five minutes what this University and the people here mean to me. She talked about her freshman year, when CU reached the championship game of the Big 12 title game against Texas A&M (it was actually Texas; CU beat A&M in semifinal on her goal!). "I ended up as the sixth-shooter. If I miss this shot, we lose the Big 12 championships. I'm taking the sixth shot (she needed to make it—she was thinking about all the people she would disappoint if she missed. I'm looking up while the Texas A&M players are dog-piling in celebration next to me, but my coach ran over and picked me and told me he was still proud of me. I was taught the power of losing." She had a roll call of thank yous to the support staff, the grounds crew, her SID (Lindsay Lew), Ceal Barry and others who impacted her life."
She ended with thanking her parents, especially for driving her all across Colorado to play soccer and "knowing how much it cost to raise a child like me."
Chris Naeole, Football (1992-96)
He took the stage wearing a lei and said "Aloha" to everybody. He opened with thanking his family, and then the "institution" of CU—Brian Cabral. I was a month away from my 16th birthday when I came over that hill (Davidson Mesa). Everything you promised me came true." He then thanked Bill McCartney. He would tell us how we're going to win or how we're going to lose. I would run through a wall for that man. He went on to cite others like his coaches like Mike Barry, the late coach Terry Lewis and then Elliot Uzelac.
He brought up the class of 1992 … "nine-deuce" … many of us still talk to this day. I have to thank my wife, she's a city girl and I'm from the country."
He brought up the class of 1992 … "nine-deuce" … many of us still talk to this day. I have to thank my wife, she's a city girl and I'm from the country."
Mickey Pruitt, Football (1984-87)
Mickey took the stage and flashed that famous smile he carried around campus. He thanked Rick for calling him (and said he gave him 20 minutes to speak). He thanked Bill and Connie Marolt and Bill McCartney.
"I wasn't coming here, but once I got to campus, everything changed. The mountains, the sun. It changed my life. What coach Mac did with the class of '83 was incredible. He redshirted all of us except two (Jon Embree, Ed Reinhardt). We had the powder blue, but went back to black and gold. I made the best choice of my life to come to CU. My dad is looking down on us but my mom is here. Coming from Chicago was tough; it was a learning experience."
He was surprised by his brother Tony who came – he played two years of basketball at CU. He made it a point to thank the parents of teammate David Tate—"Coach Mac would pair the out of state players with those from in-state." He noted he didn't go home much to Chicago because of his second family in Colorado, but did point out the other Chicagoans in this class ("this is a great class!").
Dathan Ritzenhein, Cross Country & Track (2001-04)
"When Rick called me about this a few months ago, I had just relocated back to Boulder. I got off a plane from a meet and I had a message from Rick. First thought was what did I do? Did I commit a major violation?
Setting foot on the CU campus really changed the trajectory of my life. I had a great career at CU and then professionally and got my degree in History. I know more about running than history." He noted the culture of the track program is the same today as it was then, and referenced the coaches who are still here. "The things I learned from the culture of the team here I carried through my professional career. I learned about teamwork.
"I was away from here for about 15 years and I got the call to get a job here, and one of those athletes he would be coaching would be (CU All-American) Joe Klecker," he knew he had to come back.
Richard Rokos, Ski Coach (1987-2021)
"(Mark Johnson) forgot to mention in all those stats that I survived six presidents, seven CU presidents and eight football coaches. In the beginning, there is opportunity. The beginning of my opportunity was my wife (Helena). A coaches job is very difficult, you travel a lot and you're not home very much. Then Bill Marolt … the first one to give me an opportunity that turned into a life-long love."
I have a great relationship with everyone as this school. Relationships that will last forever. He noted that he bumped into members of the '94 team that had all got together to do a bike ride from Copper Mountain over to Fruita.
"My wife's on Facebook, I'm not so she keeps track. All those babies, marriages (he performed over 40)." He then spoke for a bit about team doctors, watching surgeries.
"I am not leaving. I'll be around. Go Buffs."
Jack Ryan, Gymnastics (1966-68)
"I was trying to figure out why I was next to last in the lineup. Was it because of age? Then I looked at Richard. Then I thought it was major sports to minor sports, but that wasn't it. Then I decided it was from the ugliest to the prettiest."
He said when Rick called to tell him, "I almost didn't answer the phone. I thought he was going to sell me some car insurance." He said he had a pommel horse is his garage growing up, and the last time he touched one was when he won the NCAA meet (in 1968). Everything was the accumulation of the time and dedication.
He specifically thanked his teammates and his coach – Art White (who traveled here from Ohio). Oklahoma, Nebraska and Iowa State were the powerhouses when I got here, but by the time I was a senior, my team was right there with them and they were depending on my score to finish sixth in the nation. People don't think about gymnastics as a team sport.
He went on to note that there were several great high school programs in the area, and closed with two people instrumental in his success, his wife of 57 years (Tracey) and accepted the award for his personal savior, Jesus.
"Until I got the call from Rick, that had all been in the past."
Lee Willard, Football, Basketball, Baseball & Track (1918-22)
Lee passed away at the age of 73 in 1974; accepting on his behalf will be his grandnephew (and former CU athletic trainer, Steve Willard)
Steve thanked the committee, and poked fun at me "for being in the press box for all 16 of his uncle's letters" and then noted how he was being pimped by friends who said, "You've got a relative that earned 16 letters and you can't hit a golf ball 100 yards?"
My great uncle Lee started a great tradition at CU. My grandfather didn't go here but was a donor, my father graduated in the 1954 and we've had season tickets ever since.
"I did some research about my uncle, who was here over 100 years ago and found several of his quotes, some that are still some common truths today." He quoted several:
"As a rule, get along with people with various viewpoints … An inquisitive mind with constructive ideas will carry a person far … I would advise the athletes of today to be aware of glory, it can go away very quickly (and that was said around 1922).
And when asked why he was such a good athlete, he simply said "desire." And then the "love of the game."
And with that, another spectacular evening came to an end … a well-oiled machine, big kudos to Alumni C-Club Director Kimbirly Orr.
If you're a CU fan and have never attended this event, trust me – put it on your bucket list! Go Buffs!
DP
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