Upper Iowa University Athletics

Ronald Herdliska, class of 1965, was an outstanding two-sport athlete at Upper Iowa. As a four-year football starter at running back, he was named NAIS Little All-American Honorable Mention for two years, while he also picked up First Team All-Conference honors two times and All-District NAIA and team captain for one year.
In baseball, Herdliska was a four-year start, First Team All-Conference two years and team captains two years.

Following graduation from Upper Iowa, the English  Valley High School graduate and North English native became a teacher and multi-sport coach for one year at Meservey-Thornton High School and won two conference championships. For three years (1966-69) he taught and coached football and boys track at Solon High School and started the wrestling program. From 1969 to 1977, he was a teacher, administrative aide and football, baseball and boys track coach at Williamsburg High School, where he guided the baseball team to three conference championships.

He earned his master’s degree in secondary administration from Northeast Missouri State and is presently principal of Solon Junior High School, athletic director of Solon High School and school transportation director. The school athletic department has accounted for 31 conference championships, 14 team appearances at state, two state championships and two second place honors. They have won the conference All-Sports trophy seven times and have been runner-up six times. In 1990, Herdliska was named Southeast Athletic Director of the Year. He and his wife, Linda, have two children, Mike and Michelle.