1995 football team, four athletes to be inducted
4/8/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
The 1995 University of Montana football team and former athletes Cindy Pitzinger (Willey), Derrick Pope, Hal Sherbeck, and Karl Stein have been chosen for induction into the Grizzly Athletic Hall of Fame.
There will be a Reunion Dinner for the 1995 football team, Montana's first NCAA national championship team, on Friday, Sept. 2, 2005, at the DoubleTree Hotel at a time TBA. The team will be recognized at halftime of Montana's 2005 season opener against Fort Lewis College on Saturday, September 3.
A banquet honoring the four individual inductees will be held on Friday, October 21, at the Holiday Inn-Parkside. Those four individuals will be introduced at the Montana-Cal Poly football game on October 22. More information regarding the logistics surrounding both the banquets for the 1995 football team and the four will be announced at a later date.
CINDY PITZINGER: Just 5-8, Pitzinger had a vertical jump of 32 inches. She is from Puyallup, Wash. Cindy lettered in volleyball from 1984-87 and was a three-time Mountain West Conference first team selection in 1985-86-87.
She was Montana's first-ever United States Volleyball Coaches Association Northwest All-Region pick in 1987 and named to the U.S.V.B.A's regional all-tournament team. She remains ranked among Montana's career leaders in several areas: first in blocks (578); second in attack percentage (26.3%); third in kills (1,343); and 11th in digs (1,024).
Her 85 blocks in 1986 and 73 blocks in 1985 rank here one two in Big Sky single-season history. Her 578 career blocks are the third most in conference history.
In both 1987 and 1988 she was invited to try out for the 1992 Olympic Team. She was also chosen to participate in the World University Games and was an alternate in '87. In 1988 she was chosen for the U.S.W.V.A.'s "B" team, training for the 1992 Olympics. She was also tabbed to try out for the United States Volleyball (professional) League in 1988.
Cindy and her husband Walt live in Mt. Sterling, Utah. They have two children, a son McCoy, 13, and a daughter, McKenzie, 11.
DERRICK POPE: Derrick came to Montana from Aurora, Colo. Pope, a 6-4 forward, was a four-year basketball letterman for head coach Mike Montgomery from 1980-83. He was chosen the Big Sky Conference MVP as a senior in 1983 when he averaged 17.9 points and 8.5 rebounds a game and shot 58.9% from the field.
He was a three year starter who played in 107 career games and started in 77. He was first team all-conference in 1982 and 1983 and was an honorable mention All-American pick by the Associated Press both of those seasons as well. Pope was an All-District 7 first team pick in '83. He received Montana's C.R. Dragstedt Award (MVP) in 1982 and 1983.
Pope was among the Division I national leaders in field goal percentage in 1982 (60.0%) and in 1983 (58.9%). Montana was 57-27 during his four-year career. He currently ranks among UM's career leaders in scoring (seventh with 1,289 points) and is eighth in rebounds with 675. He is ranked 20th in Big Sky history with a 57.2 field goal percentage (485-848).
Derrick was a sixth round draft pick (the 131st overall) in 1983 by the Portland Trail Blazers. He played professionally (mostly in France) from 1984 to 2002. He is married to former Lady Griz basketball player Shari Thesenvitz, and they currently reside in England, although they plan to move back to the United States in June of 2005. They have five children: Nick, 20, Nathan, 17, Bryson, 15, Sara, 12, and Anabella, 7.
HAL SHERBECK: From Big Sandy, Mont., Hal came to UM from Olympic (junior) College in Bremerton, Wash. While at Montana he earned six letters: two in football, two in basketball, and two in baseball, and he coached at UM after completing his athletic career.
A guard in basketball, he was a team captain and MVP as a senior. He was inducted into the Grizzly Basketball Hall of Fame on April 1, 1957. In the 1950-51 season he played shortstop and was one of the top hitters (.338 average) on the baseball team.
Hal was Montana's head baseball coach from 1956-1961 and served as the freshman football coach at UM from 1956-60. He was the Grizzlies' frosh basketball coach from 1956-1959 and an assistant varsity basketball coach in 1960 and 1961.
From 1952-55 Sherbeck was the head football coach at Missoula High School, and he guided his teams to three state titles in his four seasons there.
He left Montana for Fullerton Junior College in California, becoming the head football coach there in 1961. His Fullerton teams won junior college national championships in 1965 (10-0), 1967 (12-0), and 1983 (10-0-1).
He had just one losing season in his 31 years at Fullerton J.C., and had a career record of 241-70-8 (.768), making him the winningest coach in community college history (at the time of his retirement in 1992). His JC teams were ranked in the top 25 on 21 occasions, won 16 conference titles, had a 47-game unbeaten streak (1964-68), and made 13 bowl appearances. Hal coached more than 100 All-Americans and sent more than 500 players on to four-year schools.
Sherbeck was voted to the Commission on Athletics Hall of Fame in 2001. Hal has been a volunteer assistant for Griz football since his retirement from Fullerton JC. Hal and his wife Donna reside in Polson. They have three adult children: daughter Lorin McMachon and sons David and Eric Sherbeck.
KARL STEIN: Played football at Montana in 1969 and 1970, and the Grizzlies went 10-0 both of those seasons, advancing to two Division II national championship games in a row.
Karl is is from San Anselmo, Calif. Stein, who was a returner and free safety, was voted Montana's Terry Dillon Award (Outstanding Player) winner in 1969.
He still holds Grizzly records with 20 interceptions (he also had an interception in the Camelia Bowl in 1970, which does not figure into his career stats) in just two seasons. His 11 interceptions in 1969 is the Big Sky Conference and Montana single-season records. He's ranked fourth in Big Sky history in career interceptions and is the only player ranked in the top 10 who did not play for four seasons.
He also holds the Griz record for most punt return yards in a game with 126 against Portland State in 1970. He was a first team All-Big Sky pick in 1969 and 1970 and an All-District 6 Team selection those two seasons. Stein was an Associated Press honorable mention All-American choice in 1969 and named to the Kodak All-American team in 1970. At one time he held UM records with 42 punt returns for 417 yards in 1970 and 207 interception return yards. Karl and his wife Youpa, live in Arlee. They have one son, Kai, 6.
THE 1995 FOOTBALL TEAM: The 1995 Grizzly football team had a record of 13-2 and Montana's first-ever national championship, defeating host Marshall 22-20 for the NCAA Division I-AA title. The Griz were a perfect 8-0 in the Big Sky that season.
In Montana's three home playoff wins in 2005, it out-scored its opponents 163-14 (48-0 over Eastern Kentucky, 45-0 vs. Georgia Southern and 70-14 over Stephen F. Austin).
Montana had a record nine All-Americans in '95, along with nine first team All-Big Sky selections. Quarterback Dave Dickenson was voted the recipient of the Walter Payton Award (I-AA offensive player of the year). Montana also had four first-team Division I academic All-Americans in '95.
Following the season former Griz head coach Don Read, now Montana's athletic director, was chosen the American Football Coaches' Association Division I-AA "National Coach of the Year."
There will be a Reunion Dinner for the 1995 football team, Montana's first NCAA national championship team, on Friday, Sept. 2, 2005, at the DoubleTree Hotel at a time TBA. The team will be recognized at halftime of Montana's 2005 season opener against Fort Lewis College on Saturday, September 3.
A banquet honoring the four individual inductees will be held on Friday, October 21, at the Holiday Inn-Parkside. Those four individuals will be introduced at the Montana-Cal Poly football game on October 22. More information regarding the logistics surrounding both the banquets for the 1995 football team and the four will be announced at a later date.
CINDY PITZINGER: Just 5-8, Pitzinger had a vertical jump of 32 inches. She is from Puyallup, Wash. Cindy lettered in volleyball from 1984-87 and was a three-time Mountain West Conference first team selection in 1985-86-87.
She was Montana's first-ever United States Volleyball Coaches Association Northwest All-Region pick in 1987 and named to the U.S.V.B.A's regional all-tournament team. She remains ranked among Montana's career leaders in several areas: first in blocks (578); second in attack percentage (26.3%); third in kills (1,343); and 11th in digs (1,024).
Her 85 blocks in 1986 and 73 blocks in 1985 rank here one two in Big Sky single-season history. Her 578 career blocks are the third most in conference history.
In both 1987 and 1988 she was invited to try out for the 1992 Olympic Team. She was also chosen to participate in the World University Games and was an alternate in '87. In 1988 she was chosen for the U.S.W.V.A.'s "B" team, training for the 1992 Olympics. She was also tabbed to try out for the United States Volleyball (professional) League in 1988.
Cindy and her husband Walt live in Mt. Sterling, Utah. They have two children, a son McCoy, 13, and a daughter, McKenzie, 11.
DERRICK POPE: Derrick came to Montana from Aurora, Colo. Pope, a 6-4 forward, was a four-year basketball letterman for head coach Mike Montgomery from 1980-83. He was chosen the Big Sky Conference MVP as a senior in 1983 when he averaged 17.9 points and 8.5 rebounds a game and shot 58.9% from the field.
He was a three year starter who played in 107 career games and started in 77. He was first team all-conference in 1982 and 1983 and was an honorable mention All-American pick by the Associated Press both of those seasons as well. Pope was an All-District 7 first team pick in '83. He received Montana's C.R. Dragstedt Award (MVP) in 1982 and 1983.
Pope was among the Division I national leaders in field goal percentage in 1982 (60.0%) and in 1983 (58.9%). Montana was 57-27 during his four-year career. He currently ranks among UM's career leaders in scoring (seventh with 1,289 points) and is eighth in rebounds with 675. He is ranked 20th in Big Sky history with a 57.2 field goal percentage (485-848).
Derrick was a sixth round draft pick (the 131st overall) in 1983 by the Portland Trail Blazers. He played professionally (mostly in France) from 1984 to 2002. He is married to former Lady Griz basketball player Shari Thesenvitz, and they currently reside in England, although they plan to move back to the United States in June of 2005. They have five children: Nick, 20, Nathan, 17, Bryson, 15, Sara, 12, and Anabella, 7.
HAL SHERBECK: From Big Sandy, Mont., Hal came to UM from Olympic (junior) College in Bremerton, Wash. While at Montana he earned six letters: two in football, two in basketball, and two in baseball, and he coached at UM after completing his athletic career.
A guard in basketball, he was a team captain and MVP as a senior. He was inducted into the Grizzly Basketball Hall of Fame on April 1, 1957. In the 1950-51 season he played shortstop and was one of the top hitters (.338 average) on the baseball team.
Hal was Montana's head baseball coach from 1956-1961 and served as the freshman football coach at UM from 1956-60. He was the Grizzlies' frosh basketball coach from 1956-1959 and an assistant varsity basketball coach in 1960 and 1961.
From 1952-55 Sherbeck was the head football coach at Missoula High School, and he guided his teams to three state titles in his four seasons there.
He left Montana for Fullerton Junior College in California, becoming the head football coach there in 1961. His Fullerton teams won junior college national championships in 1965 (10-0), 1967 (12-0), and 1983 (10-0-1).
He had just one losing season in his 31 years at Fullerton J.C., and had a career record of 241-70-8 (.768), making him the winningest coach in community college history (at the time of his retirement in 1992). His JC teams were ranked in the top 25 on 21 occasions, won 16 conference titles, had a 47-game unbeaten streak (1964-68), and made 13 bowl appearances. Hal coached more than 100 All-Americans and sent more than 500 players on to four-year schools.
Sherbeck was voted to the Commission on Athletics Hall of Fame in 2001. Hal has been a volunteer assistant for Griz football since his retirement from Fullerton JC. Hal and his wife Donna reside in Polson. They have three adult children: daughter Lorin McMachon and sons David and Eric Sherbeck.
KARL STEIN: Played football at Montana in 1969 and 1970, and the Grizzlies went 10-0 both of those seasons, advancing to two Division II national championship games in a row.
Karl is is from San Anselmo, Calif. Stein, who was a returner and free safety, was voted Montana's Terry Dillon Award (Outstanding Player) winner in 1969.
He still holds Grizzly records with 20 interceptions (he also had an interception in the Camelia Bowl in 1970, which does not figure into his career stats) in just two seasons. His 11 interceptions in 1969 is the Big Sky Conference and Montana single-season records. He's ranked fourth in Big Sky history in career interceptions and is the only player ranked in the top 10 who did not play for four seasons.
He also holds the Griz record for most punt return yards in a game with 126 against Portland State in 1970. He was a first team All-Big Sky pick in 1969 and 1970 and an All-District 6 Team selection those two seasons. Stein was an Associated Press honorable mention All-American choice in 1969 and named to the Kodak All-American team in 1970. At one time he held UM records with 42 punt returns for 417 yards in 1970 and 207 interception return yards. Karl and his wife Youpa, live in Arlee. They have one son, Kai, 6.
THE 1995 FOOTBALL TEAM: The 1995 Grizzly football team had a record of 13-2 and Montana's first-ever national championship, defeating host Marshall 22-20 for the NCAA Division I-AA title. The Griz were a perfect 8-0 in the Big Sky that season.
In Montana's three home playoff wins in 2005, it out-scored its opponents 163-14 (48-0 over Eastern Kentucky, 45-0 vs. Georgia Southern and 70-14 over Stephen F. Austin).
Montana had a record nine All-Americans in '95, along with nine first team All-Big Sky selections. Quarterback Dave Dickenson was voted the recipient of the Walter Payton Award (I-AA offensive player of the year). Montana also had four first-team Division I academic All-Americans in '95.
Following the season former Griz head coach Don Read, now Montana's athletic director, was chosen the American Football Coaches' Association Division I-AA "National Coach of the Year."
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