UNM Alumni Letterman's Association Kiosk

Dave Barney: Dave Barney

Dave Barney is one of UNM’s renaissance men of sport. He has played, coached and written extensively about the world of sports he has served for half a century. Born in Winthrop, Mass., Barney is the son of an Air Force colonel. He has a twin brother, Robert K. Barney, the biographer of legendary UNM figure Roy W. Johnson.

Due to his father’s diverse military assignments during Word War II, Barney spent time at numerous high schools throughout the United States and overseas. He graduated from Balboa High School in the Panama Canal Zone then enrolled at UNM in the fall of 1950 where he played freshman football. His college career was interrupted by four years of military service during the Korean War.

At UNM, Barney was an all-conference swimmer and a baseball letterman. He received his bachelor’s degree from UNM in 1959 and a master’s in 1961.

After six years at the Cranbroook School in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., Barney began his long career at Albuquerque Academy in 1967 as an English master, administrative head of the senior school and athletics coach. During his tenure, Academy swimmers and divers compiled a 424-39 dual meet record, won 19 state championships and produced 170 All-Americans. In 1995, the National Federation of Interscholastic Athletics selected Barney as its first National Swim Coach of the Year. The pool at Albuquerque Academy is named the David E. Barney and Peter B. Barney (posthumously) Competition Pool.

As an academician, Barney has authored a variety of literary and historical papers, including a sports science study on the effects of altitude on swimming performance.
Preston Dennard: Preston Dennard

Record-setting athlete, broadcaster, speaker, entertainer – Preston Dennard has done it all.

A stellar three-sport athlete in high school in Tempe, Ariz., Dennard exploded onto the college scene at the University of New Mexico in 1974. He became the first Lobo freshman to garner first team All-WAC honors. In 1975, Dennard finished third in the nation in receiving. He was first team all-league in 1976. By his senior year, Dennard held every receiving record at UNM. He caught 142 passes for 2,257 yards, numbers that still rank high in the Lobo record book.

Dennard then spent nine seasons in the NFL, playing for Los Angeles, Buffalo and Green Bay. His career numbers were 232 receptions for 3,665 yards and 30 TDs. He was a starter for the Rams in the 1980 Super Bowl and was twice nominated for the NFL Man of the Year award.

After football, Dennard engaged in private enterprises. He attended and graduated from the Columbia School of Broadcasting and managed his own public speaking career. He coached at Cal State Fullerton and UNM for a short time, then went to work as a broadcaster.

Dennard has volunteered for countless charities and served on a variety of Board of Directors. He is known throughout the Albuquerque community not only for his sports celebrity but also for his generous contributions to youth leadership programs, sports camps and clinics, celebrity tournaments and drug prevention.
Jean Rostermundt Gurule: Jean Rostermundt Gurule

Rostermundt was the first woman to be awarded a full athletic scholarship for four years at the University of New Mexico. She attended UNM from 1976-80, during which time she participated in basketball, track and field and cross country. At the time of her graduation, Rostermundt held a bevy of school records, including becoming the first UNM woman to score 1,000 career points and shooting 86.7% in her career from the free throw line. She was a perfect 16 of 16 from the line against Amarillo College and scored a career-best 38 points against Weber State in 1977. Rostermundt was a four-time team Most Valuable Player.

Rostermundt also excelled academically at UNM. She graduated on the Dean’s List in 1980 with a bachelor’s degree in Health Education and was the recipient of the Lena Clauve Outstanding Senior Award. Rostermundt later earned a master’s degree in Community Health Education.

Rostermundt’s career has spanned from playing professional basketball to coaching children in basketball and soccer, and from teaching health classes throughout college, hospitals and government organizations to working with kindergarten students and teaching health in middle schools.

Rostermundt is married to former UNM men’s basketball player Anthony Gurule.
Dick McGuire: Dick McGuire

Dick McGuire is a near native to New Mexico. He was born in Mangum, Okla., but graduated from Albuquerque High School in 1945. He enrolled at UNM and was the Lobos’ No. 1 golfer and a three-year letterman. McGuire received his degree in Secondary Education in 1952.

Upon graduation, McGuire launched his coaching career at Highland High School where his golf teams posted a 28-3 match play record and won two state titles in his first two seasons.

In 1954, McGuire began an amazing run at UNM. He was head men’s golf coach from 1954-77, recording 38 team championships, 10 of which were conference titles, and 41 times he had individuals claim medalist honors. McGuire was the head professional from 1954-87, Director of Golf Courses from 1958-87 and directed numerous high profile tournaments hosted by UNM, including NCAA Championships and the William H. Tucker Invitational 22 times. He also helped supervise the construction of the UNM South Golf Course.

In 1978, the Professional Golf Association named him Golf Professional of the Year. In 1979, the prestigious William H. Tucker women’s tournament was renamed the Dick McGuire Invitational. In 1980, McGuire was inducted into the Golf Coaches Association of America’s National Hall of Fame.
Pete Sahd (posthumous): Pete Sahd (posthumous)

S. Peter “Pete” Sahd was a top athlete, teacher, merchant, journalist, publisher and New Mexico political figure. He was one of UNM’s most loyal fans, driving 225 miles riund trip from Penasco to Albuquerque for most every home Lobo football and basketball game until his death at the age of 79.

Sahd came to New Mexico from Lebanon at age 9. He graduated from St. Michael’s High in Santa Fe in 1929. He worked his way through the University of New Mexico, earning letters in football and track and field and a journalism degree in 1937.

His teaching started in a one-room classroom in Golden to teacher, coach and principal at Stanley High School. One of his students was Bruce King, New Mexico’s future governor.

Sahd joined the Navy in World War II, and in 1943, he was a radar technician in Jacksonville, Fla., where he instructed a tech by the name of George Bush.

Sahd moved back to Penasco, opened a general store and founded the town’s monthly newspaper, the Penasquero. He was very active in the Republican Party and was a candidate for the U.S. Congress in 1968.

Sahd was president and director of the Taos Chamber of Commerce, a member of the National Boy Scouts of America Council and a member of the Veteran’s Service Commission.
George McFadden Distinguished Service Award: George McFadden Distinguished Service Award

• UNM’s sports information director from 1951-55 and 1957-64

• Director of media relations for the San Francisco 49ers from 1964-78

• Director of Operations for NFL Europe

• Worked as a press officer in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta
Ana Friganovic Female Athlete of the Year: Ana Friganovic Female Athlete of the Year

Tennis

• First UNM’s women’s tennis player to qualify for NCAA Championships all four years

• Four-time all-conference selection and two-time Academic All-American

• Set UNM record with 112 singles wins

• Majored in International Finance with a minor in German
Brian Urlacher Male Athlete of the Year: Brian Urlacher Male Athlete of the Year

Football

• Consensus 1^st team All-American in 1999

• Became UNM’s highest NFL Draft pick; the 9^th overall selection to the Chicago Bears

• 1999 Mountain West Conference Player of the Year

• Finished 12^th in balloting for the Heisman Trophy

Overlays