125 years, 125 stories

By Maria Naert

A 125 year anniversary calls for a little extra celebration. Saint Ambrose University has proudly decided to acknowledge their athletic alumni as they tell past tales of how their interaction with SAU Athletics has proven to make a difference in their lives.

"We've decided to collect 125 athletic related stories from our alumni," explained Bruce Billingsley of the SAU Athletic Department. "We've sent letters out to all our alumni requesting their stories telling how participating in SAU athletics has affected their lives. Whether it's a game, a moment in time, how athletics helped them earn a job, or the friends that they've made and kept for years afterwards." 

Whatever the story or memory may be, we want to share them with the rest of our SAU family.

"Some stories will be from recent alumni," explained Mr. Billingsley, "and then others, from as long as a hundred years ago, will be dug up from the university's archives."

The St. Ambrose Athletic Department will present five new stories each week on the SAU Athletics website ( www.sau.edu/athletics/125_stories ), starting now and continuing until the end of the school year, reaching 125 stories by the end of the year.

Starting off this project, the first week's five stories cover the newly inducted 2006 Athletic Hall of Fame teams and individuals. The three teams entering into the SAU Athletic Hall of Fame are the 1892 Baseball team (first intercollegiate team at St. Ambrose), the 1940 Football team (undefeated and unscored upon), and the 1950 Football team (winningest team in school history). The 2006 Athletic Hall of Fame Individual Inductees are Molly Shurr Palmer, volleyball athlete and coach who graduatedin 2000 and 2001, and M.D. John Sunderbruch '32, Team Physician, also inducted in for the SAU Hall of Fame in 1981.

The Saint Ambrose University Athletic Department looks forward to sharing their recent alumni stories and resurfacing a few old memories. This is our way to participate in Saint Ambrose University's 125th anniversary celebration and reaching out to the whole Ambrosian community.

Click here to visit the 125 Stories Home: www.sau.edu/athletics/125_stories