2013 Athletics Hall of Fame Class
Oct 11, 2013 | J.Crane
DUBUQUE, IOWA- The University of Dubuque will induct the 2013 Athletics Hall of Fame Class on October 12, 2013. This year's honorees are: Greg Ortberg (Class of 2000) and the the 1959 Cross Country Team. Jerry Petitgoue (Class of 1963) will be inducted into the Hall of Distinction. The University of Dubuque Alumni Association established the Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame in 1989 as a permanent place to honor those individuals who have promoted and served the University through its athletic programs.
The induction ceremony will take place on Saturday, October 12th at 11:00 am on the Preiss Stage inside the Heritage Center as a part of the Alumni Awards Banquet.
Greg Ortberg, Football/Track & Field - Class of 2000
Ortberg was the first University of Dubuque track athlete to earn All-American honors in indoor track. He also was the first Spartan track athlete to earn IIAC MVP honors and win three individual Conference Championships in one year. He earned his degree in speech communications in 2000. He started his athletic career at West Delaware High School in Manchester, Iowa where participated in football and track, receiving many awards as a Hawk.
In 2001, Ortberg participated in training camp with the Iowa Barnstormers of the Arena Football League. He played four seasons (2002-2005) with the Wyoming Calvary of the National Indoor Football League. Ortberg and his wife Audrey have two sons, Chase and Caleb. He works as a property adjuster with Farmers Insurance, and has received three superior service awards through work. He has also volunteered for catastrophe duty, including Hurricane Ike in 2008.
Track Accomplishments:
- Six time NCAA Division III All-American.
- 2nd Place, 100m Dash (Outdoors), 1999
- 5th Place, 110m Hurdles (Outdoors), 1999
- 5th Place, 55m Hurdles (Indoors), 1999
- 6th Place, 55m Dash (Indoors), 1999
- 8th Place, 100m Dash (Outdoor), 2000
- 2nd Place, 55m Hurdles (Indoors), 2000
- Nine time NCAA Division III National Championships qualifier.
- Iowa Conference Outdoor Championships MVP - 1999.
- Five time IIAC Outdoor Championships Winner.
- 100m Dash (1999), 110m High Hurdles (1999), 200m Dash (1999).
- 110m Dash (2000), 200m Dash (2000).
Football Accomplishments:
- Second highest singles game rushing total, 274 yards vs Cornell (11/6/99).
- IIAC/UD Record for longest Kick Return, 100 yards vs. Upper Iowa (10/9/99).
- Ninth best single season rushing total, 919 yards (1999).
- Team high 92 tackles as a safety (1998).
- Team high 9-touchdowns (1999).
1959 Cross Country Team
Peter Boyd (C' 62), Blair Bowling (C' 61), Bill MacFarlane (C' 59), John Hudson (C' 60), Tom TeBockhorst (C' 59), Ron Mensach (C' 59), Bob "Tex" Johnston (C' 62), and Coach George French (C' 56/MDiv "63).
1959 was the first year the University of Dubuque had a varsity cross country team and the team of seven made an impressive first impression. To start the season, the team went undefeated with perfect scores against Simpson and Luther. They were the first IIAC team to have a perfect score (taking the first five places) at the Iowa Conference Championships. They went on to compete in the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) and took second place. MacFarlane and Boyd were in the lead for the first mile at this event, but a course official sent them in the wrong direction by 75 yards. Once they were back on the course, they were trailing 39 other competitors. The team took 6th place at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) National Cross Country Championship.
“An individual victory is nothing without a team victory,” according to both Peter Boyd and Bill MacFarlane in a Telegraph Herald article from fall 1959.
Jerry Petitgoue - Class of 1963 -- Hall of Distinction
Jerry Petitgoue, of Galena, Illinois is “far more than a living legend in Wisconsin high school basketball,” according to the Janesville Gazette. Petitgoue earned his bachelor of science degree in physical education from the University of Dubuque. In 1968, he earned his master’s degree in history from the UW-Platteville.
After graduating from UD, Petitgoue started his career as a social studies teacher and basketball coach in Gratiot, Wisconsin, where he lead the basketball team to a 62-20 record in four seasons. He also taught and coached at Lena-Winslow High School, Galena High School, and Cuba City High School. Petitgoue started as Cuba City’s head coach in 1971 finishing with a 20-3 record. Today, with the leadership of Petitgoue, the team has a 784-181 record since that time. In 2012-13 the team finished with a 26-1 record which took the team to the WIAA state tournament for the second year in a row and the eighth time overall.
Petitgoue is the winningest coach in the state of Wisconsin history with 846 wins. He has 29 conference championships at Cuba City and 3 State Championships at Cuba City (1981, 1991 and 1998). Cuba City was the state runner-up in 2012.
Petitgoue is an active community member. He serves on the boards for: American Trust and Savings Bank (Cuba City), Community Development Board Member (Cuba City), and Mercy Hospital and Medical Center (Dubuque). He has been the Director of the Tri-State Basketball Camps for the past 20 years and has served as the past-president and present Executive Director of the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association.
Jerry and his wife Joan have three children: Michele, Mark, and Ryan. The Petitgoue’s have six grandchildren
who they adore.
