Athletic Hall of Fame 2003 Inductees

Emmalie Gessner Cowherd, 1961

Earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Baker with a cumulative 3.98 grade-point average. Ranked No. 1 in graduating class and was a member of Alpha Delta Sigma, a national honorary society. On campus, was a member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority and served as its president. Prior to intercollegiate sports, participated in a wide array of campus athletic competition and was voted the Outstanding Woman Athlete Award as a senior. Served as an officer of the junior class, as vice president of Panhellenic and as president of the Women’s Athletic Association. Was awarded the A.A.U.W. award for Outstanding Senior Woman.

Began teaching and coaching career at Baldwin High School. Taught psychology, general science, health and physical education. Served as pep club and junior class sponsor.

Continued teaching and coaching at Amity Regional Senior High School, Woodbridge, Conn. Taught general biology, human physiology and physical education. Coached basketball, synchronized swimming and softball. The 1966 softball team was undefeated.

Returned to Baker to teach and coach in 1976. Teaching responsibilities included first aid, swimming and softball. Chief responsibilities included organizing and coaching the University’s first intercollegiate varsity and junior varsity programs in softball and basketball. Recruited all athletes, developed the teams' schedules and purchased all associated equipment and uniforms. Coached the basketball team from 1976 to 1978 and the softball team in 1976-1983. The 1981 softball team went to National A.I.A.W. (Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women) tournament and finished ninth in the nation for Division III. The 1982 team went to the same tournament and finished third in the nation.

Additionally taught swimming in a number of capacities and places for 34 years. Was a certified water safety instructor and a water safety instructor trainer. Certified to teach C.P.R.

Served as a member of the University’s Alumni Board of Directors for six years.

Currently serves as business manager for Cowherd & Sons Farms, Carrollton, Mo.

Married to Clifton R. Cowherd. Has four sons, Benjamin Gessner Polen ’89, Dallas Allen Polen III ’91, Johnathan Alan Cowherd and Andrew Michael Cowherd.

Richard E. "Dick" Shores, 1960

Attended high school at Osawatomie, Kansas, from 1951 to 1955. Participated in football, basketball and track. In football, lettered all four years and was named all-conference in his junior and senior years. Lettered three years in basketball and was named to the all-conference team as a senior. Lettered three years as a member of the track team.

Enrolled at Baker in the fall of 1955 and made an immediate impact on the football team. Went on to play and letter all four years. Was named a member of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference all-conference team as a junior and senior and as a member of the NAIA All-American second team after his senior campaign, helping the Wildcats to the conference championship that year. Participated as a member of the varsity track team as a sophomore and intramural basketball for four years. Member of the University’s “B” Club. Graduated with a degree in social studies and physical education.

Following teaching stints in the elementary school of Linwood, Kansas, and the high school in Overbrook, Kansas, enrolled at the University of Kansas and worked as an instructor in the Reading and Study Skills Laboratory while he completed work on two additional degrees, an Ed.S., and an Educational Doctorate that was conferred in 1967.

In his career, served as an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, from 1969 to 1972; as associate professor of special education at the George Peabody College for Teachers in Nashville, Tenn., from 1972 to 1976, and in 1976 was named professor of special education and served at George Peabody until 1990.

He retired in 2002 as the senior scientist from the University of Kansas’ affiliated program at the Schiefelbusch Institute of Life Span Studies in Parsons, Kansas, where he was an honorary professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Life of the Department of Special Education.

Served in numerous administrative roles in the field of higher education, won fifteen separate grants for studies in his field, maintained several professional affiliations in organizations within his field, authored or co-authored an impressive number of articles for books and journals in his field of study, and was widely sought after as a speaker. In this regard, delivered some 45 separate major presentations to scholarly meetings.

Additionally was presented with a Leadership Award for lifetime contributions to the education of children with EBD, and the Outstanding Service Award from the Midwest Symposium for Leadership in Behavior Disorders. Had the annual award to the Outstanding Graduate Student in Teacher Preparation at the Special Education Department of Vanderbilt University named in his honor.

Brent J. Wright, 1972

Attended Iola High School in Iola, Kansas. Participated in and earned six letters in football and track. During summers, played American Legion baseball.

Enrolled at Baker in the fall of 1968 and became an immediate starter for the Wildcat football squad. During his four years at Baker played linebacker and defensive end on defense, center and running back on offense and place kicker. Lettered all four years at Baker.

Lettered four years as a member of the Wildcat track team. Participated in the high jump and won conference in that event. Threw the discus, shot put and javelin. Held the school record for a short time in the javelin. Ran the 220-yard dash, the 100-yard dash and participated as a member of the 440-yard relay team with a best time of 42.6 seconds, a school record that stands to this day. Participated in the decathlon at the Kansas Relays.

On campus was a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity and participated in intramural basketball.

About halfway through his senior football season, assistant football coach Charlie Mansfield convinced head coach Jim Irick to try him at running back against Missouri Valley. In the game, Wright led all rushers with 154 yards. During his career was named the Wildcats’ most valuable player, team co-captain and was selected to several all-conference teams. After his senior campaign was named an NAIA.All-American. The Baker Orange presented Wright its first ever “Athlete-of-the-Year” Award for 1971-1972.

Following graduation from Baker with a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education had a free-agent tryout with the Kansas City Chiefs of the NFL. Signed a free-agent contract and went to training camp in 1972 with the Chiefs as a running back.

Career has been in farming and raising, training and showing horses. In 1987 purchased a facility in Ottawa and along with his wife formed a business to train Western Performance Horses. In this enterprise, has trained and shown many horses in the National Reining Horse Association, where he won the NRHA National Derby in 2001 and 2002, competing against over 200 riders. Was the NRHA Futurity Reserve Champion two consecutive years, co-champion at the Quarter Horse Congress Reining futurity and has trained and shown Custom Pistol, the highest money-earning horse in NRHA history.

Married to Janet Robinson Wright, ’72, and together they have one son, Tod.