MENOMONIE – John Zuerlein will join two other former UW-Stout athletic greats and a former Menomonie principal when he is inducted into the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Hall of Fame in July.
Zuerlein, who resides in North Menomonie, started the UW-Stout men’s gymnastics program when he was a Stout student in 1962. Zuerlein coached the men’s gymnastics team until 1983 and coached the women’s gymnastics program from 1979 to 1994. Blue Devils Amy Jamieson, a three-sport standout in basketball, tennis and softball, and Ben Knepper, a football All-American, will join Zuerlein, as will Greg Corning, a former principal in the Menomonie school district and a standout football player at UW-River Falls.
The quartet will be part of a 25-member class for 2025 to be inducted at the WIAC Hall of Fame Banquet to be held on July 26, 2025, and hosted by UW-Stout at the Memorial Student Center in the Great Hall. The 25 individuals will join a prestigious conference Hall of Fame that includes 114 members.
John Zuerlein served as UW-Stout’s men’s gymnastics coach from its inception in 1962 until 1983, and women’s gymnastics coach from 1979-94. He started the men’s program, while still a student in 1962 and turned the program into a national contender. Zuerlein was twice named the national coach of the year, and the conference coach of the year in 1984 and 1992. He coached seven individual national champions, 15 NAIA and five NCAA men’s All-Americans, 15 men’s individual conference champions, four NCGA women’s All-Americans and numerous all-conference gymnasts. Zuerlein’s men’s team placed in the top four of the NAIA Championship every year from 1970-83, and twice placed fifth in the NCAA Division II Championship. He was inducted into the UW-Stout Athletics Hall of Fame in 2000.
Amy Jamieson was a member of the UW-Stout women’s basketball team from 1994-97, women’s tennis team from 1994-97, and softball team in 1997. She is the only known UW-Stout student-athlete to earn all-conference honors in three sports in one academic year (1996-97). Jamieson also secured all-conference first team recognition in three separate sports in one calendar year (1997). She helped the Blue Devils win their first-ever women’s basketball conference title in 1997. She was named to the all-conference first team and all-defensive team in 1996 and 1997. She is currently second on the program’s all-time list with 262 career steals and ninth with 1,136 career points. On the tennis court, Jamieson was the No. 1 doubles conference champion in 1997, after recording runner-up finishes at No. 1 doubles in 1994 and 1996. On the softball diamond, Jamieson was a NFCA All-Midwest Region Second Team selection in 1997. Jamieson was inducted into the UW-Stout Athletics Hall of Fame in 2009.Jamieson currently resides in Prior Lake, Minn.
Ben Knepper was a member of UW-Stout’s football team from 2000-03, and was a two-time All-American and during his senior year was selected All-America by five publications – AP Little All-America, American Football Coaches Association, D3football.com, College Sports Information Directors and Don Hansen Weekly Football Gazette. Knepper was an all-conference first team selection in 2002 and 2003, and participated in the 2003 Aztec Bowl. Approximately 65 percent of the plays were run to Knepper’s side during the 2003 campaign. He allowed only one sack during his last two years, that coming in the first game of his junior season, going more than 700 consecutive plays without allowing a sack. The Blue Devils won the 2000 WIAC championship – their first since 1965 – and compiled a 29-11 record during his four seasons – the best four-year stretch in program history. In 2012, Knepper was selected to the WIAC Football All-Time Team in conjunction with the conference’s Centennial Celebration. He was inducted into the UW-Stout Athletics Hall of Fame in 2014. Knepper currently resides in Chetek.
Greg Corning, who was a principal in the Menomonie School District for 15 years, is also a member of the 2025 class. Corning was a member of UW-River Falls’ football team from 1984-87, and secured American Football Coaches Association All-America First Team honors in 1987. He was selected the conference Player of the Year that same season. Corning is one of four individuals in program archives to receive all-conference honors in four different years. He collected first team recognition in 1986 and 1987, after claiming second team status in 1984 and 1985. During his four-year career, the Falcons compiled a 31-8-1 record and won the conference championship each season. Corning owns the program career records with 320 points and 52 touchdowns, and single-season marks with 102 points and 17 touchdowns. In 2012, he was selected to the WIAC Football All-Time Team in conjunction with the conference’s Centennial Celebration. Corning was inducted into the UW-River Falls Athletics Hall of Fame in 1997.
Matt Stanek is the assistant commissioner for media relations for the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC). Layne Pitt is the retired UW-Stout Sports Information director and contributed to the story.
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