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Western Michigan University Athletics

Hall of Fame - A

*All inductee information current up to the year they were inducted. 

1964-65 Cross Country Teams
NCAA Champions
Inducted 2009
  • First team in MAC history to win national title
  • Team kept up a string of seven straight undefeated seasons in dual meets with 35 consecutive wins since 1957
  • Coached by George Dales, the team went a combined 9-0 in dual meet over the 1964-65 seasons
  • Mike Gallagher (7th) and Bruce Burston (11th) named All-Americans after their finishes in the 1964 NCAA Championships
  • Steve Smith (6th) named All-American after finish in 1965 NCAA Championship
  • 1964 Team
    • Bruce Burston
    • Donald Clark
    • James Carter
    • Michael Gallagher
    • Theodore Nelson
    • Larry Peck
    • Steve Smith
  • 1965 Team
    • Keith Brown (Reed)
    • Michael Gallagher
    • Wolfgang Lugauer
    • Gary Myers
    • Theodore Nelson
    • Roger Plont
    • Steve Smith

Bob Adams
Basketball, 1950-52
Inducted 1986
South Bend, Indiana
  • First Western Michigan basketball player to be selected first-team All Mid-American Conference three times.
  • Averaged 15.4 points per game as a sophomore and set then school game scoring record of 33 points,
  • Set then career free throw percentage (.740) record and had third highest point total (1,046).
  • Joined Bartholomew’s Inc. a South Bend paint and sundries firm, as a salesman and later became owner and president.
  • Also, owner of an industrial tape business.

Deb Albano
Softball | Shortstop | 1982-85
Inducted in 2023
Dearborn, Mich.
- Three-time First Team All-MAC selection at shortstop (1983, '84, '85)
- WMU's starting shortstop on its 1982 Women's College World Series Team
- Co-captain of 1985 MAC Tournament Championship Team
- Won MAC Regular Season Championships in 1983 and 1984
- Second Team All-Great Lakes Region selection in 1984
- Set new WMU record with 32 career doubles in 1985

Harold “Whitey” Althoff
Basketball, 1930-32
Track, 1930, 32
Inducted 1986
Fremont, Ohio
  • Three year starting forward for basketball teams that had records of 17-0 and 14-3 and 14-5 and won three Michigan Collegiate championships.
  • Scored over 100 points each season and was captain in 1932.
  • Pole Vaulter, long and high jumper in track.
  • Taught and coached track/cross country and was city recreation director in Fremont for 35 years. Produced individual state champions in both sports.
  • 35-year member of Ohio Track and Field Officials Association and officiated football and basketball for over 25 years.

Rolla Anderson
Football, 1943
Basketball, 1944
Inducted 1982
Mt. Vernon, Illinois
  • End on 4-2 football team and played on a basketball team that ranked No. 4 in nation. Served as lieutenant in U.S. Marine Corps during World War II.
  • Coached football at Marshall and Battle Creek Lakeview High Schools, winning state championship at latter school.
  • Head football coach at Kalamazoo College (1953-66) and was recognized as state “coach of the year” in 1963.
  • Athletic director at K-College (1953-85).
  • Director of U.S. Tennis Association Boys’ 16 and 18-year old national championship tournaments (1988-93), chairman of NCAA tennis committee and member of USTA executive committee.

Dave Arnold
Basketball, 1935-37
Inducted 1977
Kalamazoo, Michigan
  • Scored then school record 532 career points in basketball and played on teams that had combined record of 39-12. Considered one of “Buck” Read’s top 12 players during his 27-year Western Michigan tenure.
  • Compiled 9-4 baseball pitching mark and played two years in New York Yankees farm system.
  • Had stints as either a coach, athletic director or principal at Barryion, Otsego and Kalamazoo State High Schools, winning a Michigan Class B golf championship at latter school.
  • Served as assistant executive secretary of Michigan State High School Athletic Association (1946-60).
  • Joined National Federation of State High School Associations staff in 1960 and served as both assistant and associate executive secretary.

Pat Ashby
Basketball
Inducted 1992
St. Joseph, Michigan
  • Taught and coached at Comstock High School (1963-92) after 1961 graduation from Western. Also, served as assistant basketball coach for Broncos.
  • Her track squads won two conference and regional titles and had a 26-year dual record of 167-87. Had 140-70 mark in basketball.
  • Long-time basketball official (national rating) and was on state high school track committee, plus basketball one that established state girls’ tournament.
  • Inducted into Michigan High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame (1987).
  • Inducted in Michigan Amateur Softball Hall of Fame (1992).

Jerry Ashmore
Cross Country, 1958-60
Track, 1959-61
Inducted 1982
Griffith, Indiana
  • First Western Michigan University runner to win All-American honors in both track and cross country.
  • Finished eighth at 1958 NCAA cross country championships and 15th in 1960 as Western finished second and third in team standings. Placed fourth (1959) and third (1961) in NCAA three-mile run track competition.
  • Won Central Collegiate and Mid-American Conference cross country races in 1959 and 19600 and also copped two CCC and two MAC track titles.
  • After graduation, won NAAU 10,000-meter championship while representing the Chicago Track Club.
  • Returned to his native Gary, Indiana area and worked 17 years with U.S. Steel and then joined city welfare department.