Three to be Inducted into 2021 Athletics Hall of Fame Class

Oskaloosa–This Saturday, during halftime of the William Penn football game against Homecoming, three new members will be inducted into the William Penn University Athletics Hall of Fame.

Kris Miller’s basketball career at William Penn is best described as outstanding. His career stats add credence to that statement. He ranks second in all-time points scored at 1,722, second in field goals attempted (1,447), third in field goals made (630), sixth in free throws attempted (371), ninth in free throws made (259), second in three-point attempts (613), and fourth in three-pointers made (203). Additionally, Miller’s 227 steals rank first (227) and his 82 blocked shots rank fifth.

Numbers such as these, along with his team leadership, work ethic, and devotion to Statesmen athletics, help to explain Miller’s acceptance into the William Penn Athletic Hall of Fame. He was a three-time all-conference selection–twice achieving first-team accolades, and was also selected as the 2009-2010 Midwest Collegiate Conference Player of the Year. Topping all else, he was twice named an NAIA Division II Honorable-Mention All-American.

That’s just basketball. Miller was also a standout runner on the William Penn track and field team. By the time he was done, he left his marks on the WPU record books, ranking in the top 10 in the 100, 200, and 400-meter dashes and the 4×100 and 4×400-meter relay events.

For three seasons, the William Penn football team had a bulwark in the linebacker corps, and his name was Clint Peery. This barricade of muscle was the bedrock of a stingy and memorable defense that bequeathed opposing coaches and their offensive units with an understanding that the price of forward ground movement was unaffordable. From 2005-2007, Peery amassed 379 career tackles, ranking him first on the William Penn’s leaderboard.

Peery’s defensive proficiency could not, and did not, go unnoticed by the various postseason selection committees. He was a three-time all-conference pick. Above this, he was twice honored as a selection to two different All-American teams. Peery was a respected role model for his fellow teammates in all aspects of the game as well as on campus as a student.

Coach Garey Smith came to William Penn in 1982 just as the Statesmen women’s basketball team was leaving the AIAW and entering NCAA Division III. This would also be an official start for Iowa Conference women’s basketball. Continuing on the tradition of exemplary women’s basketball at William Penn, Coach Smith made an immediate impact by leading his team to the Iowa Conference co-championship. His Statesmen took the outright title in 1983-1984 and qualified for the Division III regional tournament. In 1984-1985, William Penn earned anther co-championship and a nationals appearance. Back-to-back titles occurred in 1985-1986 and 1986-1987, along with regional titles and two trips to the national tournament.

Coach Smith ranks second in school history with 238 coaching wins. During his 18-year reign, he coached teams to three conference championships, five NCAA Division III national tournament appearances, and two NCAA Division III regional titles. He had the honor to coach 21 all-conference players, two conference MVPs, and three All-Americans. In 1988, Coach Smith was selected as the Converse Central Region Coach of the Year. His induction into the William Penn University Athletic Hall of Fame is awarded posthumously.

William Penn will honor Peery, Miller, and Smith at the 2021 Athletics Hall of Fame Reception held during Homecoming week. Their awards will be received Saturday at 9 a.m. in the Penn Activity Center and they will then officially be inducted during halftime of WPU’s game vs. Missouri Valley (2:30 p.m. kickoff).