Athletics Hall of Fame
James Toennies is the 2012 recipient of the Distinguished Service Award. Hired in 1962, Toennies served UW-Whitewater for thirty-one years. With a doctorate in health and safety from Indiana University, he taught physical education and health at UW-W for all thirty-one years. He was the campus intramural sports director 1962-68, and the health education coordinator 1974-81 and 1983-90. Toennies also served as the Williams Center facilities coordinator 1974-82. While handling this variety of duties he also coached men's cross country 1963-66 and both cross country teams in 1977-78, and he was an assistant track coach 1971-74. His cross country teams won the WIAC championship in 1964 and 1965, also adding the state AAU title and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics District 14 title. UW-W went on to finish fifteenth in the '74 NAIA national meet, moving up to eighth place in 1975. Toennies coached Phil Nordgren and Tom Hoffman, standouts in Whitewater cross country annals.
