The Upper Iowa University Athletics Department inducted five new members into its Hall of Fame on Saturday night, Oct. 8.  The UIU Athletics Hall of Fame grew to 193 members with the inductions as more than 150 family, friends and alumni came together to celebrate.  The five newest members all took time at the podium to thank their former coaches, teammates, friends and loved ones, as well as share stories of their time at Upper Iowa and in Fayette.
 
The five new inductees included Gary Peterson (1965), James Rarick (1999), Clint Rodgers (1996), Dwight Spangler (1966) and Jesus Wilson (2004).
 
Gary Peterson was inducted as a coach.  He earned a Bachelor's degree in physical education in 1965. Peterson had an outstanding teaching and coaching career of 32 years starting at the DeSales School in Ossian, Iowa before continuing his professional career at Garwin High School in Garwin, Iowa. He posted an impressive coaching record in basketball at both DeSales and Garwin combining for 478 wins and 216 losses with 8 seasons of more than 20 victories.  A 2001 IHSAA Coaches Hall of Fame inductee, Peterson was named Coach of the Year 10 times in 3 different conferences including the TA-MA-IA, the Mid-Iowa and the North Iowa Cedar. He was also named Central Iowa's Coach of the Year from 1997-98.
 
James Rarick was inducted as an athlete. He graduated in 1999 with a Bachelor's degree in elementary education. Rarick was a four year letter winner in football from 1995-1998 starting all 40 games in his Peacock career. From 1995-1998, though labeled as a center, he started 17 games at that position, but also started 10 at left tackle and 3 at the guard position under Head Coach Paul Rudolph. Rarick earned Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honors twice. He was named to the IIAC First Team in 1998 and Second Team in 1997 as the Peacock anchor on the offensive line. His interscholastic athletic career was played at City High School in Iowa City where he was a major part of a Class 4A Iowa State Championship team in 1993 and 1994.
 
Clint Rodgers was inducted as an athlete.  He graduated in 1996 with a Bachelor's degree in elementary education with a minor in physical education. Rodgers earned a Master's degree in secondary education from Chadron State College in 1998. A four-year letter winner in football, Rodgers started 39 of 40 games as a linebacker and guard for the Peacocks playing for Head Coach Paul Rudolph. He was named to the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, or IIAC, Second Team in 1994 as a defensive end and in 1995 as a linebacker. Rodgers earned a pair of All-America second team honors in 1994 and 1995 while leading the Peacocks in sacks and tackles during those two seasons.
 
Dwight Spangler was inducted as a coach. Spangler graduated in 1966 with a Bachelor's degree in physical education and a minor in social studies. Spangler was a two-year letter winner for Peacock football and was a part of the 1961 team that was co-champions of the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, coached by Hall of Famer Eb Eischeid. After graduation from Upper Iowa, Spangler began a 36-year career as a teacher, coach, athletic director and Dean of Students at both West Branch and Central High Schools in West Branch and DeWitt, Iowa. Spangler was instrumental in bringing a wrestling program to West Branch High School. He then spent 30 years as the head football coach at Central, DeWitt with a record of 149-123. His 1973 team finished as the Iowa Class 3A State Runner-up and the Sabers qualified for the state tournament in 1987 and 1999.  The '99 squad reached the quarterfinals. Spangler also established the female athletic programs at Central, DeWitt. Spangler's outstanding career in athletics launched him into four different Hall of Fames, including the Iowa Football Coaches Hall of Fame, the Iowa High School Athletic Directors Hall of Fame, the Iowa Wrestling Coaches and Officials Hall of the Fame, and the Central High School Hall of Fame.
 
Jesus Wilson was inducted as an athlete. He earned a Bachelor's degree in recreation in 2004. A native of Cuba, he came to the United States as a member of the 1993 Cuban National Wrestling Team. Wilson placed sixth in the world championships that year, and then earned a chance to wrestle at the collegiate level. A two-year letter winner for the Peacocks, Wilson was a two-time NCAA Division III national champion at UIU, winning a title at 133 pounds in 2000 and at 141 pounds in 2002. He was an outstanding Peacock on the mat losing only once in two years. He avenged that loss in the NCAA Championships later in the season. He was the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Most Valuable Wrestler at 133 pounds during the 2000 season. In 2002, Wilson was named the National Duals Most Outstanding Wrestler and became a member of the USA National Team, earning a silver medal at the world team trials. A year later, Wilson was a Pan American Champion and a silver medalist at the World Cup. Wilson was a captain of the 2002 Peacock wrestling team that placed second in the nation, the highest finish in Upper Iowa's history. Wilson wrestled under coaches Mike McCready, Sam Barber and current head coach Heath Grimm.