| JOE DEL GAIS (Class of 1986) Joe Del Gais is being inducted into the Upper Iowa University Athletic Hall of Fame as an athlete. He was a four year letter winner for the Peacock baseball team from 1983-86. He also lettered in football for three years. Del Gais, a catcher for the Peacocks, was a four year starter. He was named to two consecutive Iowa Intercollegiate All-Conference first teams following his junior and senior seasons in 1985 and 1986. The Peacocks' man behind the mask was honored as the team's M.V.P. in 1986. Del Gais' career was marked by outstanding statistics. In 1985, the junior hit .440 in conference play with an overall average of .402. In 1986, the senior year batted .405 in conference play and .408 overall. As a catcher, he maintained a .951 fielding percentage with only five errors as he caught every game as a senior. As a freshman, Del Gais caught senior pitcher Bob Eisneman on the day that Eisneman started and won two IIAC baseball games. Del Gais was an outstanding high school athlete in baseball and football at Wantagh High School in New York. After receiving his Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education from Upper Iowa in 1986, he earned two Masters Degrees; one in Special Education from C.W. Post College in 1992 and one in Educational Administration from Touro College in 2006. The former catcher is now in his 23rd year as a coach and teacher. Del Gais has been the baseball coach at Port Washington High School since 1989, also serving as a physical education teacher and assistant football coach. The New York native has also spent many years coaching football. He was an assistant football coach at C.W. Post for three years, before serving as a defensive coordinator at St. John's University from 1993 to 2001. Joe has been married to his wife Christie since 1994. They are the parents of Dianna Jane, Joseph, Mary Kate and Peter. | 