The University of Iowa announced its 2024 Athletics Hall of Fame class Thursday, and a pair of recent Hawkeye football All-Americans are among the honorees immortalized: defensive end Adrian Clayborn and running back Shonn Greene.
Clayborn, who hails from St. Louis, Missouri, was a consensus All-American in 2010 after a stellar Hawkeye career in which he totaled 192 tackles, 37.5 TFL, 19 sacks, seven forced fumbles, three blocked kicks and one fumble recovery.
Clayborn's most famous play, now a permanent installment in Hawkeye lore, was this fourth-quarter blocked punt that gave Iowa its first lead in what became a 21-10 victory at No. 5 Penn State in 2009:
While Clayborn was a significant contributor to that seismic win in Happy Valley, his best game as a Hawkeye was undoubtedly next season's Orange Bowl, where he blew up any hopes for Georgia Tech to even run to his side of the field as Iowa logged a 24-14 victory — to this day the last BCS/New Year's Six Bowl win in Hawkeye history, and the only such win of the Kirk Ferentz era.
After his Hawkeye career, Clayborn was drafted 20th overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2011. While injuries hampered Clayborn's four-year stint with the Bucs, he found his footing as a key reserve and ended up with a 10-year NFL career, totaling 40 sacks and 55 tackles for loss.
Shonn Greene only started one season for the Hawkeyes, but he was a supernova when given the nod, winning the Doak Walker Award as the nation's best running back and finishing sixth in Heisman Trophy voting in 2008. Greene's sensational season keyed Iowa's late charge from 3-3 to finishing 9-4 with a 31-0 win over South Carolina in the Outback Bowl.
While Greene rushed for 121 yards and three scores in the Outback Bowl, effectively putting an exclamation point on his Hawkeye career, his magnum opus came in October, back at Kinnick Stadium.
Against Wisconsin in 2008, Greene rushed for 217 yards and four sensational touchdowns, including a scamper that came as close as Kinnick had yet seen to a full-fledged BeastQuake moment:
The New York Jets summarily drafted Greene with the first pick of the third round in the 2009 Draft, and during his six-year pro career he rushed for 4,110 yards and 24 touchdowns between the Jets and Tennessee Titans. Greene started over future Hall-of-Famer LaDainian Tomlinson in 2011, and also shared backfields with stars like Thomas Jones and Chris Johnson.
The rest of the inductees include former men's basketball center Kevin Kunnert, women's basketball guard Lindsey Meder, baseball pitcher Mike Boddicker, men's wrestler Rico Chiapparelli, field hockey star Sue Bury and women's tennis player Laura Dvorak. Bios for all inductees as provided by the University of Iowa are included alphabetically below.
Mike Boddicker, Baseball (1976-78)
First-team All-Big Ten as a pitcher (1978)… third-team All-Big Ten as an infielder (1976)… led the NCAA, averaging 11.5 strikeouts per game as a senior… had a school-record 0.79 ERA in 1976… had a school-record six career shutouts… led the team in innings and strikeouts in 1978 and 1979… led the team in batting average in 1978 (.350) and doubles in 1978 (9) and 1976 (9)… finished his career with 189 strikeouts, ranking in top 10 in program history… selected in the sixth round of the 1978 MLB Draft by the Baltimore Orioles… made his MLB debut on Oct. 4, 1980… played for four franchises – Baltimore Orioles (1980-88), Boston Red Sox (1988-90), Kansas City Royals (1991-92) and Milwaukee Brewers (1993) – during 11-year MLB career… Sporting News Rookie of the Year… MLB All-Star selection… Gold Glove Award recipient… 1983 American League Championship Series MVP… had a 134-116 career MLB record with a 3.80 ERA… the Mike Boddicker Scholarship is presented annually (since 1993) to an Iowa baseball student-athlete who is in good academic standing and displays character and personality.
Sue Bury, Field Hockey (1979-83)
Two-time NFHCA first-team All-American (1981, 1982)… first-team All-Big Ten selection (1982)… named to the Big Ten All-Tournament team in 1981… first-team member of the Big Ten Conference All-Decade team (1981-91)… led team to two Big Ten regular season titles (1981, 1982)… team won 82 games during collegiate career, including a school-record 25 games in 1981 and 21 in 1982 – the top two win totals in program history… competed in three AIAW National Championships and two NCAA Tournaments… played on the U.S. Olympics/Sports Festival in 1981, 1982 and 1985.
Rico Chiapparelli, Wrestling (1983, 1985-87)
1987 National Champion at 177 pounds… three-time All-American… also finished fourth at NCAAs at 177 in 1986 and fifth at 177 in 1985… three-time Big Ten champion (1985, 1986, 1987)… held Iowa to three NCAA team titles (1983, 1985, 1986) and four Big Ten titles (1983, 1985-87)… recipient of the Mike Howard Award, presented to Iowa’s Most Valuable Wrestler, in 1987… had 18 pins during the 1983 season, a total that ranks in top 10 in program history… had 49 career falls, which are tied for fourth in the record books.
Adrian Clayborn, Football (2007-10)
Consensus All-American after being voted first-team All-America by American Football Coaches Association and Walter Camp, and third-team All-America by the Associated Press and Phil Steele’s College Football in 2010… was finalist for Rotary Lombardi Award and Ted Hendricks Award and a semifinalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award during his senior season… was a two-time first-team All-Big Ten honoree and Permanent Team Captain (2009 and 2010)… three-year starter at defensive end, helping Iowa post three-year record of 28-11, including three straight bowl victories for first time in school history… voted the Most Valuable Player in Iowa’s 2010 Orange Bowl victory over Georgia Tech… started the final 30 games at defensive end… totaled 192 tackles, including 37.5 for loss and 19 sacks, 19 QB hurries, seven forced fumbles, seven pass break-ups, three blocked kicks and one recovered fumble in his Hawkeye career… first on the team in tackles for loss (20), sacks (11.5), QB hurries (9) and forced fumbles (4) as a junior… ranked first on the team in QB hurries (6), and third in tackles for loss (7) and sacks (3.5) his senior campaign… ranked second on the team with eight tackles for loss as a sophomore… was a first round NFL Draft selection (20th selection overall) by Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2011.
Laura Dvorak, Women’s Tennis (1991-95)
Four-time first-team All-Big Ten selection (1992, 1993, 1994, 1995)… Big Ten Medal of Honor recipient in 2005 – the first women’s tennis honoree in school history… Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 1992 – the first honoree in school history… Academic All-Big Ten selection (1995)… won a then school record 30 matches during her sophomore season… ranks second in school history in career singles victories (102), third in single-season singles victories (30) and fourth in combined career victories (170)… helped team to 50 team wins during four-year career.
Shonn Greene, Football (2005-06, ‘08)
Unanimous Consensus All-American after being named first-team All-America by American Football Coaches Association, Football Writers Association of America, ESPN, Walter Camp Foundation, Associated Press and Sporting News in 2008… won the 2008 Doak Walker Award, which is given annually to the nation’s top collegiate running back… posted Iowa single season bests in rushing yards (1,850) and rushing touchdowns (20) in 2008… received the 2008 Chicago Tribune’s Silver Football Award, emblematic of the Big Ten Conference’s Most Valuable Player… became Iowa’s first consensus All-America running back since Nile Kinnick in 1939… became the first Iowa running back to rush for over 100 yards in all 13 games in a single-season (2008)… was the only running back in the nation to eclipse 100 yards rushing in every game in 2008… finished 2008 ranked second nationally in rushing yardage… his 2,228 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns in his career rank 12th and eighth best in program history, respectively.
Kevin Kunnert, Men’s Basketball (1971-73)
First-team All-American by Helms in 1973… two-time second-team All-Big Ten selection (1972, 1973)… two-time team Most Valuable Player (1972, 1973)… had a school-record 48 double-doubles, including 20 in 1972-73 and 19 in 1971-72… averaged a career double-double at 15.9 points and 12.7 rebounds… scored 1,145 points and grabbed 914 rebounds during 72 game career… finished his career as the top rebounder in Iowa history, pulling in 914 rebounds from 1971-73… currently ranks third all-time…has two of the top six rebounding seasons in school history (353 in 1972; 334 in 1973)… has two of the top rebounding games in program history (23 rebounds vs. Drake, Illinois, in 1972)… had three career 30-point games and a school record eight 20+ rebound games… had one of seven 20-point, 20-rebound double-doubles in program history (24 points, 23 rebounds vs. Illinois in 1972)… one of seven players in school history to have three 200 rebound seasons… led team in rebounding three straight seasons and in field goal percentage twice… averaged team-bests with 19.2 points and 13.9 rebounds in 1973… selected in the 1973 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls (First Round, 12th pick).
Lindsey Meder, Women’s Basketball (1998-2002)
Three-time All-Big Ten selection (first-team, 2001, 2002; second-team, 2000)… two-time Academic All-American (2001, 2002)… three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree… recipient of the 2002 NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship… led team to a pair of NCAA Tournaments… member of the 2001 Big Ten Tournament title team… finished her career ranking second in school history in career scoring (1,906 points) and was first in 3-point field goals (261)… had two 500+ point seasons in 2000-01 (523) and 1999-00 (516)… led the team in scoring from 2000-02… was the first Hawkeye to score 490+ points in three straight seasons… team’s top 3-point shooter in 1998-99 and 1999-00… selected in the third round of the 2002 WNBA Draft by the Minnesota Lynx… played in the 2001 United States Team Trials.
Congratulations to all the honored individuals as they enter the University of Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony will be Friday, August 30, at the Feller Club Room at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The University of Iowa is selling tickets for $25 here.
