UWM Adds Four To Athletics Hall Of FameApril 21, 2008 MILWAUKEE - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee will induct three former student-athletes and a former administrator into its Athletics Hall of Fame Sunday, April 27. Doug Beard, Jon Manke, Katie (Schneider) Pendowski and Cindy (Miller) Freedman will all become part of the hall of fame during ceremonies at the Hotel Intercontinental's Grand Ballroom. The hall of fame induction will be part of the UWM Student-Athlete Award Reception, which begins at 4 p.m. Beard put together a nearly two-decade career as an athletics administrator in Wisconsin, including 12-plus years at UWM. Beard's career actually started at UW-Stout, where he spent three years before coming to UWM in 1989. During his time in Milwaukee, he helped the program move from NAIA status with a $750,000 annual budget to the Division I level with an $8 million annual budget. Beard oversaw all aspects of the department's financial operations and directed the external operations unit. He also helped with the transition into the MCC/Horizon League and assisted with the first Klotsche Center remodeling project in 1998. Plus, he took part in the redesign of the athletics logo in 1999 - a mark that is still used today. Beard also took an administrative role in overseeing both the men's and women's soccer programs, which won a combined six conference championships and advanced to the NCAA Tournament twice with his oversight. Beard then left UWM for Wisconsin, where he was eventually promoted to senior associate athletic director. While at Madison, Beard was named the 2007 Manager of the Year by the College Athletic Business Management Association. The annual award is given to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the profession of athletic business management. He also oversaw the hockey programs at UW, with the men's and women's teams combining for three national titles during his tenure. Originally from Kennebunkport, Maine, Beard earned his bachelor's degree in business administration (1985) from the University of New Hampshire and a master's degree in athletic administration from Kent State (1987). Beard passed away in June of 2007 and is survived by his wife, Pat, and daughter, Lindsay. Freedman earned national acclaim during her career as a diver at UWM, earning All-America honors throughout her career. In fact, she claimed a NAIA National Championship on the one-meter board in 1987. She also finished third on the three-meter board at the NAIA Nationals that same year, adding to an extensive list of national-level performances. Earlier in her UWM career, Freedman collected a second-place finish on the one-meter board during the 1986 NAIA National Championships while also claiming a top-six finish on the three-meter board that same year. Prior to coming to UWM, Freedman earned All-America status at UW-Eau Claire, claiming a national title on the one-meter board in 1983. Freedman also excelled in the classroom, collecting NAIA Academic All-America honors during her junior and senior years. She earned her undergraduate degree in recreational therapy from UWM and then earned a master's degree in occupational therapy from Nova Southeastern University. She has turned that academic work into her professional career, as she currently owns and operates Angelfish Therapy in Sandy Hook, Conn. Manke established himself as one of the finest track and field athletes in school history during his career as a Panther. He won individual league titles four times while claiming second place finishes five times and third-place finishes three times. He was also named the league's outdoor field newcomer of the year. His efforts helped the Panthers to three league indoor championship titles and four league outdoor crowns. He still holds the school record for the indoor shot put and is second on the all-time list in the weight throw and the discus. He also excelled in the classroom, earning UWM Athlete of the Year honors while also claiming the UWM Alumni Association's Herman Kluge Award. He was also a regular on the Dean's List, the Horizon League Honor Roll and the league's all-academic team. Manke then capped his career by winning the Horizon League's Coleman Award for athletic and academic excellence. After graduating from UWM, Manke went on to get his master's degree in civil engineering from North Carolina State. He now lives in Charlotte and is employed by Terracon Consultants. Pendowski's four-year volleyball career at UWM left her atop the school's all-time assists list. She earned first-team all-league honors in 1999 after claiming second-team all-league recognition in 1997 and 1998. She was also a two-time league player of the week and a member of the league's all-newcomer team in 1996. She helped the Panthers to regular season league titles in 1997, 1998 and 1999 while helping UWM to the NCAA Tournament in both 1998 and 1999. In fact, the Panthers went 75-15 during her final three seasons. Along with her standing in the school's assists rankings, Pendowski also has the top-two single-season assist totals, including a school-record 1,558 in 1998. She also ranked third on the school's all-time digs list and is in the top 10 for career aces and games played. Plus, Pendowski holds nearly all of the single-game assist records. Pendowski received her undergraduate degree from UWM's School of Education and later received her master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction. She now works at Badger Middle School in the West Bend School District. |
