Pittsburg State Gorillas

Pittsburg State’s mile relay team – comprised of Jerry Brown, Steve Ireland, Bill Leaphart and David Palmer – twice set the school record in the event in a two-week span of the 1963 season. The quartet was clocked in 3 minutes, 12.9 seconds at the Emporia Relays on April 13, before turning in a time of 3 minutes, 10.34 seconds (FAT conversion) at the Kansas Relays on April 20. The mark stands as the school record at the time of the team’s induction five decades later.
 

Marvin Ackerson earned honorable mention All-America honors on the Associated Press Little All-America Team as a junior in 1955 to become just the third Pitt State football player in school history to earn All-America recognition. Ackerson earned All-Central Intercollegiate Conference accolades in each of his final two seasons, including first-team All-CIC status his junior season when he helped the Gorillas capture the conference crown.

Ed Cain earned first-team All-Central Intercollegiate Conference (CIC) honors as a senior in 1956, helping Pittsburg State to a 27-2 record and a third-place finish at the NAIA National Tournament. Cain scored 426 points during his senior season, averaging 14.7 points per game. He scored 656 points in 53 games for the Gorillas, averaging 12.4 points per game during his two-year career.

Matt Howard finished his playing career as a two-time NCAA Division II All-America offensive lineman for the Gorillas. Howard earned first-team All-America honors as a senior in 2001 when he helped Pitt State capture the MIAA Championship. He was a second-team All-America honoree as a junior in 2000.  Howard garnered first-team All-MIAA accolades in each of his final three seasons (1999-2001). Following his career, Howard was selected to Pitt State’s prestigious 100th Anniversary Football Team in 2003.

Gloria Ilariogun earned honorable mention NCAA Division II All-America honors from the American Volleyball Coaches Association as a senior in 2003.  A two-time All-Region and four-time All-MIAA performer, Ilariogun set school records for career total blocks (598), career block solos (180), single season total blocks (207) and single season block solos (54). She also posted the second-highest kill total (1,331) in school history; and her total blocks mark ranked third all-time in MIAA history.

James McCarty finished his decorated career at Pittsburg State as a six-time NCAA Division II All-American. McCarty finished as the national runner-up in the 55 meter hurdles during the 1997 indoor season and the national runner-up in the 110 meter hurdles during the 1997 outdoor season.  He garnered All-MIAA honors on 11 occasions, including three straight MIAA champion performances in the 55m hurdles from 1995-97. McCarty set school records in both the 55m hurdles (7.36) and the 110m hurdles (13.81).