Former women’s tennis national champion leads Air Force HOF class
8/26/2021 9:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Former tennis All-American and national champion Laura Simmons-Bergstrom highlights Air Force's eighth Athletics Hall of Fame class, which was announced earlier this year. Joining Simmons-Bergstrom is football All-American and wrestling standout Terry Maki, men's basketball standout Otis Jones, rifle All-American Robin Orth and former director of athletics Randy Spetman and the 2004 Mountain West men's basketball championship team will be honored Friday, Sept. 24, 2021 at the Colorado Springs Marriott.
Jones, a 1995 Academy graduate, was an honorable mention All-American in 1995 while finishing as the runner-up for the Francis Pomeroy Naismith Award as the nation's best player under 6-feet. He scored 2,003 points in his career while becoming the only player in program history to earn first-team all-conference honors three years. Jones earned the athletic excellence award twice and ranks among the program's top three in four categories.
Maki, a 1987 Academy graduate, earned multiple All-America honors in 1986 and was named first-team all-conference two years in football. He set the school record for tackles in a single game with 30 vs. Notre Dame in 1985 while also blocking a game-winning field goal attempt that was returned for a touchdown, which is widely considered the most famous play in program history. Maki was also a conference wrestling champion in 1985 and two-time NCAA qualifier.
Orth, a 1996 Academy graduate, earned All-America honors eight times during his career. A three-time team most valuable player, Orth finished second in air rifle at the 1994 NCAA championships and was fourth in small bore in 1996. He helped the Falcons finish in the top four at the NCAA championships all four years. He later eanred a gold medal in air rifle in the 1995 Olympic Festival and was a member of the international air rifle team from 1994-2004.
Simmons-Bergstrom, a 1994 Academy graduate, won the 1991 NCAA Division II singles championship and earned All-American honors all four years in singles. Simmons is the only four-time most valuable player in program history and earned all-conference honors all four years in singles. She was also a two-time All-American in doubles and twice earned all-conference honors in doubles. She was named Colorado Sportswoman of the Year and was the program's record holder in singles victories with 108 when she graduated.
Spetman, a 1976 Academy graduate, was the director of athletics from 1996-2003. He was instrumental in leading the Academy into the Mountain West and was a member of the conference's handbook and television committees. During his tenure, the Academy moved into the Falcon Athletic Center, added a new scoreboard and turf to Falcon Stadium and had 26 nationally-ranked teams, 224 all-conference athletes, 466 academic all-conference honorees, 108 All-Americans and 32 Academic All-Americans. He is also credited with hiring hockey coach Frank Serratore and basketball coach Joe Scott. Spetman later served as AD at Utah State and Florida State and was inducted into the National Association of Collegiate Athletic Directors (NACDA) Hall of Fame in 2017. Spetman also lettered in football, was a two-time Wing Open boxing champion and earned Sports Illustrated lineman of the week honors as a Falcon.
The 2004 men's basketball team won the program's only conference championship while compiling a 22-7 overall record, a program record at the time. The Falcons finished 12-2 in the Mountain West, winning the championship by two full games. The team earned an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, the program's first appearance in 42 years. The Falcons won 13 straight and 16-of-17 at one point during the season and earned a top 25 national ranking. The team was coached by current head coach Joe Scott.
For more information, please see: https://falconathleticfund.com/online/article/hof21
Laura Simmons-Bergstrom
Women's Tennis, Class of 1994
Jones, a 1995 Academy graduate, was an honorable mention All-American in 1995 while finishing as the runner-up for the Francis Pomeroy Naismith Award as the nation's best player under 6-feet. He scored 2,003 points in his career while becoming the only player in program history to earn first-team all-conference honors three years. Jones earned the athletic excellence award twice and ranks among the program's top three in four categories.
Maki, a 1987 Academy graduate, earned multiple All-America honors in 1986 and was named first-team all-conference two years in football. He set the school record for tackles in a single game with 30 vs. Notre Dame in 1985 while also blocking a game-winning field goal attempt that was returned for a touchdown, which is widely considered the most famous play in program history. Maki was also a conference wrestling champion in 1985 and two-time NCAA qualifier.
Orth, a 1996 Academy graduate, earned All-America honors eight times during his career. A three-time team most valuable player, Orth finished second in air rifle at the 1994 NCAA championships and was fourth in small bore in 1996. He helped the Falcons finish in the top four at the NCAA championships all four years. He later eanred a gold medal in air rifle in the 1995 Olympic Festival and was a member of the international air rifle team from 1994-2004.
Simmons-Bergstrom, a 1994 Academy graduate, won the 1991 NCAA Division II singles championship and earned All-American honors all four years in singles. Simmons is the only four-time most valuable player in program history and earned all-conference honors all four years in singles. She was also a two-time All-American in doubles and twice earned all-conference honors in doubles. She was named Colorado Sportswoman of the Year and was the program's record holder in singles victories with 108 when she graduated.
Spetman, a 1976 Academy graduate, was the director of athletics from 1996-2003. He was instrumental in leading the Academy into the Mountain West and was a member of the conference's handbook and television committees. During his tenure, the Academy moved into the Falcon Athletic Center, added a new scoreboard and turf to Falcon Stadium and had 26 nationally-ranked teams, 224 all-conference athletes, 466 academic all-conference honorees, 108 All-Americans and 32 Academic All-Americans. He is also credited with hiring hockey coach Frank Serratore and basketball coach Joe Scott. Spetman later served as AD at Utah State and Florida State and was inducted into the National Association of Collegiate Athletic Directors (NACDA) Hall of Fame in 2017. Spetman also lettered in football, was a two-time Wing Open boxing champion and earned Sports Illustrated lineman of the week honors as a Falcon.
The 2004 men's basketball team won the program's only conference championship while compiling a 22-7 overall record, a program record at the time. The Falcons finished 12-2 in the Mountain West, winning the championship by two full games. The team earned an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, the program's first appearance in 42 years. The Falcons won 13 straight and 16-of-17 at one point during the season and earned a top 25 national ranking. The team was coached by current head coach Joe Scott.
For more information, please see: https://falconathleticfund.com/online/article/hof21
Laura Simmons-Bergstrom
Women's Tennis, Class of 1994
- 1991 NCAA Division II National Singles Champion
- Only four-time MVP in program history
- Four-time Division II All-American in singles
- Two-time Division II All-American in doubles
- Four-time all-conference selection in singles
- Two-time all-conference selection in doubles
- Named Colorado Sportswoman of the Year
- Held school record with 108 career singles victories when graduating
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