This Saturday, during halftime of the Statesmen football game against Avila, three new members will be inducted into the William Penn University Athletics Hall of Fame.
BG Campbell (Class of 1975) was described by teammates as one of the most influential members of the men’s golf team.
He was named to the All-Iowa Conference Tournament team three years in a row, and during his final season, Campbell led the program to its second conference title and only outright title in program history, winning the 1974 Iowa Conference Tournament.
“This is such a nice honor and I am really excited to be a part of it (Athletic Hall of Fame),” Campbell said. “I had a nice time at the college and had great teammates which made for a great experience.”
Steven Dawley (Class of 2011), was an integral part in helping the Statesmen football team post some of the best rushing statistics in the history of the program and in the NAIA. The navy and gold led the nation in rushing in 2010 with 4,476 yards (406.9 per game).
In his recommendation for Dawley, Head Coach Todd Hafner said, “Steven was the best offensive lineman this staff has ever coached.”
During Dawley’s career, the team was 29–16 and tied a school record for most wins in 2010, going 10–1. The team also won its first conference crown since 1976.
“It’s a great honor to be inducted into this group of great athletes; it’s very surreal,” Dawley said.
Brian Theobald (Class of 1989) was a great competitor and one of the most important players in building William Penn’s baseball teams in the late 1980s. He was a four-year starter who led the team to two Iowa Conference titles in 1986 and 1988. He was an excellent hitter and outfielder, as well as electric on the mound as a starting pitcher.
A career .300 hitter, Theobald still ranks in the top 10 in career hits and owns the fourth most at-bats in program history. He is one of just a handful of players in program history who effectively handled both pitching and everyday player duties with excellence.
William Penn will honor Campbell, Dawley, and Theobald at the 2017 Athletics Hall of Fame Reception held during homecoming week. They will receive their awards Saturday at 9:30 a.m. at the Penn Activity Center and will then officially be inducted during halftime of WPU’s game vs. Avila (1 p.m. kickoff).
Story by Wade Steinlage, WPU Sports Information Director