Rollie Greeno Award recipients Larry Knoblich and Dave Tews, along with Athletic Hall of Fame inductees Rick Hack, Bonnie (Pfannsmith) Freije, Andy Wade, and Cory Mantyka were recognized at the Jimmie Booster Club's Athletic Hall of Fame Breakfast on Saturday, Oct. 15 during Jamestown College Homecoming festivities.
Knoblich (Class of 1958), of Jamestown, retired in 1997 from his career as an educator and coach. After graduating from Jamestown College, his first coaching stint was at LaMoure, N.D., where he started the school's cross country program and also started track for girls when there was no girls' track in North Dakota. He then coached cross country, basketball, and track at Newport, Ore. It was there where he coached his first state high jump champion, along with a second place winner in the javelin. He completed his career at Jamestown High School, where he coached several state champions and placewinners. Knoblich is the organizer and driving force behind Jamestown's Runnin O' the Green, which celebrated its 33rd anniversary in 2011 and has raised thousands of dollars to support Elks Camp Grassick and local cancer patients faced with daunting expenses. He was recently named North Dakota Elk of the Year.
Tews (Class of 1978), also of Jamestown, has coached gymnastics at Jamestown High School for 33 years and in 2009 was named the National High School Federation Midwest Section Coach of the Year for gymnastics. He is a seven-time Eastern Dakota Conference Coach of the Year and one-time Western Dakota Association Coach of the Year and has coached numerous conference champions, state qualifiers, state placewinners, All-State and All-Conference gymnasts. As diving coach with the Blue Jay girls' swimming and diving program, Tews has coached four conference champions and numerous state placewinners, as well as eventual Division I and Division II All-Americans. Tews has also been dedicated to the Jamestown Middle School girls' track program with 25 years as head coach and 33 total years of service to the program. He teaches history at Jamestown Middle School.
Hack (Class of 1981), of Ellendale, N.D., was a four-year letterwinner in baseball and football for the Jimmies and a one-year letterwinner in track. A 1979 first team NAIA All-American defensive back and All-Conference free safety, Hack was a co-captain of the undefeated conference champion Jimmies for coach Rollie Greeno. On the diamond, he was named All-Conference in 1977 as an infielder and in 1981 as a pitcher.
Freije (Class of 1988), of Devils Lake, N.D., is 16th on the Jimmie women's basketball all-time career point leaders list with 898 points. A two-time All-Conference and All-District selection, she led the Jimmies in scoring in the 1986-87 season with 415 points and in the 1987-88 season with 342 points.
Wade (Class of 1991), of Kennewick, Wash., led the Jimmie baseball team offensively and provided just as much of an impact defensively as catcher. He was a 1988 NAIA District 12 Honorable Mention selection, a 1989 All-Conference and All-District selection, a 1990 All-District selection, and a 1991 All-Conference selection and Outstanding Graduating Senior.
Mantyka (Class of 1993), of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, followed his successful Jimmie football career with a 13-year stint in the Canadian Football League as an offensive lineman for the British Columbia Lions. He was a part of the Lions' Grey Cup championships in 1994 and 2000 and was named to the West Division All-Star team in 2003. Starting on both offense and defense for the Jimmies, he was a two-time All-Conference selection (1991 and 1992).
