Griffon Athletics and the Griffon Hall of Fame Committee are pleased to announce the Griffon Athletics Hall of Fame induction class of 2019.
This year’s class includes seven former student athletes and one team. Rogers Pharmacy Hall of Fame Weekend begins Friday, Oct. 25 with a private reception for inductees and their guests at 5:30 p.m. followed by the induction ceremony and dinner at 7 p.m. in the Fulkerson Center on the MWSU campus. The class will participate in a ring ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 26 at halftime of the Griffon Football game against Emporia State. Cost to attend the Rogers Pharmacy Hall of Fame Induction dinner and ceremony is $25 per person with table sponsorships also available. To RSVP, contact Griffon Athletics at (816) 271-4481.
The 2019 induction class is as follows:
Reggie Alexander
Men’s Basketball (1999-2001)
Alexander was a dominant inside presence on teams that won 38 combined games. His 50 blocked shots in the 1999-2000 season still rank as the most ever by a Griffon. He also scored 458 points that season, breaking an MWSU single season record at the time, currently ranking 11th. Alexander also broke MWSU’s single season rebounds record that season with 200 and currently ranks eighth. His 184 field goals in 99-00 rank as the fifth most in a season at MWSU; his 6.9 rebounds per game rank ninth and his 138 defensive rebounds also rank ninth. Alexander was named second team All-MIAA in 2000 and was a first team selection in 2001. He was also named first team Daktronics All-South Central Region and second team NABC All-South Central Region in 2001.
Jarrett Brooks ’09
Football (2003-06)
An all-purpose threat on Griffon teams that combined to win 32 games, Brooks finished his career with 27 touchdowns and 4,408 all-purpose yards. He ranks 10th all-time at Missouri Western in total touchdowns and eighth in receiving touchdowns (21). His 133 receptions are fourth most in Griffon history and his 2,099 receiving yards rank seventh. The all-purpose total is fourth-best in program history while his 162 points are ninth most. Brooks’ 1,675 kick return yards are the second most ever by a Griffon and his 541 punt return yards are third most. He returned two punts and two kicks for touchdowns in his career. Brooks was a first team All-MIAA selection in 2006 as a wide receiver and as a returner. He also received honorable mention D2Football.com All-American as a returner in 2006. In 2005, Brooks received second team All-MIAA honors as a receiver and returner after an honorable mention as a returner in 2004.
Tracy Jones ’01
Women’s Tennis (1996-99)
Jones was a three-time top-three finisher in the MIAA Championships at No. 1 singles and led the team to its only appearance in the NCAA postseason in 1998. Jones was a second team All-MIAA selection in 1997, finishing second at No. 1 singles and third at No. 1 doubles. The next year, she again finished second at No. 1 singles and finished second as part of the Griffons’ No. 1 doubles team at the MIAA Championships and helped the team to an appearance in the NCAA regional tournament. In 1999, Jones finished third at the top singles spot and second at No. 1 doubles in the MIAA Championships for a third team All-MIAA honor. Jones went on to serve as both an assistant and head women’s tennis coach at Missouri Western and is currently a Physical Therapy Assistant.
Jessica Koch Williams ’12
Women’s Basketball (2007-12)
The all-time leading scorer in a proud program’s history, Jessica Koch scored 1,776 career points. She is also the program’s all-time leader in made free throws (394); ranks second all-time at MWSU in made field goals (615); ranks third in assists (387) and ranks fifth in made 3-pt field goals (152). Her 595 points during the 2011-12 season are the most in program history along with her 22 point average that season. Her 16.6 point per game average the previous season ranks 10th best in program history. Also in 2011-12, she made 139 free throws, also an MWSU single season record. Koch made 204 field goals in 2011-12, second most ever by a Griffon. A versatile guard, Koch’s 7.2 rebound per game averaged in 2009-10 is tied for the ninth best in program history. Her 107 assists in the 2010-11 season rank 10th most in Griffon history. She also blocked 25 shots and recorded 76 steals (T-4th) in the 2011-12 season. Koch also holds MWSU single game records for field goals made (17) and free throws made (14). She also had games with 13, 12 and 11 made free throws. Koch scored 38 points at Southwest Baptist in 2012, tied for third-most ever by a Griffon. Her six made threes against Washburn in 2012 are tied for the second-most in program history. Following her final season she was an honorable mention WBCA All-American, second team Daktronics All-South Central Region and first team All-MIAA. Koch was a second team All-MIAA selection in 2011; honorable mention in 2010; and was named MIAA Freshman of the Year in 2009.
Taira Roth ’04
Women’s Golf (2002-04)
A two-sport athlete, Roth also participated as a member of the women’s basketball team, but becomes the women’s golf program’s first-ever Griffon Athletics Hall of Fame inductee. She reached as high as No. 36 in the nation, third highest ever by a Griffon women’s golfer. Her 8.17 versus par score in 2003-04 ranks 11th best in program history. She won seven tournaments total, second most all-time at MWSU, and four in the 03-04 season which also ranks second most in MWSU history.
Michael Schulze ’13
Baseball (2012-13)
In two short years, Schulze left Missouri Western as the most decorated baseball student-athlete in the program’s history. He was named the 2013 National Player of the Year by Daktronics and the National Collegiate Baseball Writer’s Association. Schulze was also a finalist for the inaugural Josh Willingham Award. In 2013, Schulze’s honors also included: MIAA Player of the Year, first team All-MIAA, Daktronics Central Region Player of the Year, first team Daktronics All-Region, ABCA Central Region Player of the Year, first team ABCA All-Region, first team Daktronics All-American, first team ABCA/Rawlings All-American, NCBWA Central Region Player of the Year, first team NCBWA All-Region, first team NCBWA All-American and MIAA Honor Roll. His .400 career batting average ranks first all-time at MWSU and his .439 average in the 2013 season is also the best in Griffon Baseball history. Schulze helped lead the Griffons to their first MIAA Championship in 2013. He received honorable mention All-MIAA at shortstop in 2012. Following his two-year Griffon career, Schulze was drafted in the 19th round by the St. Louis Cardinals and played in their minor league system for four years.
Kara Unger Rosonke ’06
Softball (2005-06)
The former Kara Unger was a two-time first team All-MIAA selection, helping the Griffons at the plate, in the field and in the circle. She helped lead the program to its first ever NCAA postseason appearance. She was named first team All-MIAA and NFCA All-Region as a utility player in 2005. In 2006, Unger was a first team All-MIAA and second team NFCA ALL-Region outfielder. She was also named first team ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District in 2006. Her .609 slugging percentage ranks third all-time at MWSU and her .406 career on base percentage ranks 10th best. Her 23 home runs are ninth most in program history. She was also a key piece of the Griffon pitching staff, going 14-7 with a 2.64 career ERA. She had seven complete games and four career shutouts. Unger struck out 110 batters to just 39 walks.
1994-95 Men’s Basketball Team
The team became head coach Tom Smith’s first to sweep the MIAA regular season and postseason championships. The Griffons won their first 12 games before a five-point overtime loss at Missouri Southern. Its final victory, 66-58 over Washburn in the MIAA Championship final, gave the team a Missouri Western record 26th win. Reaching as high as No. 4 in the NCAA DII rankings, the team went 26-5 overall, 13-3 in conference play, and hosted the NCAA South Central Region Championships.