William Penn Inducts 2012 Athletics Hall of Fame Class‏

William Penn University Athletics

By John Eberline

On Saturday, September 29, William Penn University will induct four members into the 2012 Athletics Hall of Fame. The class includes Bill Cronin, Walt Kosman, Mike Laird, and Robin Rich-Taylor.

Many consider the football years of 1971 through 1975 the greatest seasons in school history as the teams went 41-10-1, won two Iowa Conference titles, played in the Boot Hill Bowl the Poultry Bowl, and the NAIA playoffs. Leading that offensive machine was a group of outstanding offensive linemen, one of whom was Bill Cronin.

Cronin was the ‘quick side’ offensive tackle during the 1971 through 1974 seasons, getting his first start in the second game of the 1971 season and he started the next 39 consecutive games, a span when the Statesmen won 31-of-39 games.

A four-year lettermen, Cronin was a first team All-Iowa Conference selection in both 1972 and 1973, All-District in 1972 and 1973 and in 1974 repeated on both first team selections and was named an NAIA All-American. At that time becoming only the second player in William Penn football history to be named to an All-American team (the first was Jack Boender in 1959).

During that four year span the Penn offensive unit either led or was second in IIAC rushing and in 1974 the Statesmen ended the year ranked in the top five offensively on the NAIA listing.

While at William Penn Cronin was active in Delta Beta Phi Fraternity, the Lettermen’s Club of which he was president in 1974-75.

Cronin graduated with a BA degree in secondary education and a business minor. Following graduation he was hired by the Fairfield Community School District as a middle school educator and coach for the varsity offensive line. During that two year stint Fairfield reached the Iowa High School playoffs both in 1975 and 1976.

In 1977 Cronin left the education field for a business opportunity with Electronic Engineering Company in Ames (IA) and is currently serving as the Executive Vice-President for EECO.

Cronin and wife Sue (‘75) have two children Ginny Cronin Lunderby (Jim) and a grandson Joseph, and Ben Cronin (Meggan) and a granddaughter Lilly.

Cronin is active in the Ames community with involvement with the Ames High Booster Club, Varsity Football Sports Rep., and is active in his church. He has served on the Motorola Advisory Board for the United States and is currently on the Board of the Boone/Story County I-Club plus is a member of the Masonic Lodge, ZaGaZig Shrine and Royal Order of Jesters.

Walt Kosman lived what every William Penn University football player dreamed of…winning, winning, winning! As a starter at defensive back, on the teams of 1972-75, Kosman was on the field when Penn won 35 of 43 games, was on two Iowa Conference championship teams, played in the Boot Hill Bowl (Penn won 17-14 over Emporia State), the Poultry Bowl (Penn was tied 7-7 by Guilford), and went to the NAIA National Playoffs losing to California Lutheran 27-0.

Kosman was a four-year letter winner and a three-year starter earning first team All-Iowa Conference honors as a member of the 10-1 conference champions and NAIA playoff contender in 1975. The team battled to an unbeaten 10-0 regular season.

In addition to holding down a starting defensive back position, Kosman was the team punt returner for two seasons.

Kosman ended his collegiate athletic career with seven varsity letters, four in football and three in track and it could have been eight letters had he not decided to withdraw from track as a senior.

In track Kosman ran the 100-yard dash, ran legs of the 440 and 880 yard relay teams, plus the mile relay team and 440 yard intermediate hurdles. Kosman is the school record holder in the 440 yard intermediate hurdles with a time of :55.00 in 1974.

Kosman majored in Mathematics and has an Economics minor. After graduating from William Penn he married fellow Penn graduate Kitty Berg. He attended Oklahoma State and served as a graduate teaching assistant while earning a Master of Science (M.S.) Degree in Computer Science.

After his stint at Oklahoma State the Kosman’s moved to Memphis, TN and have remained in the area working in the Information Technology field. Kosman is currently employed with West Fraser Inc. as a Senior Computer Systems Analyst.

Walt and Kitty have four children, Kira, Kimberly, Kristina and Karl.

Mike Laird grew up on a farm near Attica and attended Twin Cedars High School where he was a 4-sport standout. He attended Buena Vista University his freshman year and was a member of the basketball and NAIA playoff baseball teams. He then transferred to Penn and was a member of the 1974 IIAC basketball championship team. He also played tennis being voted team captain and MVP in 1975. After graduation, he taught and coached four sports at Wheatland and Moravia high schools for five years.

He returned to Penn in 1980 as men’s assistant basketball coach and National Teaching Fellow. In the fall of 1982 he took over the Head Baseball position which he retains today. He served as Athletic Director for 14 years and facilitated Penn’s return to the NAIA and admission to the Midwest Collegiate Conference and Midwest States Football Association in 2001. At that time, Laird had recorded more wins than any men’s coach in the 80-year history of the Iowa Intercollegiate Conference.

Laird’s current record at William Penn is 851-418, and 939-476 overall including his stints in high schools. His 851 wins is ranked 11th on the NAIA’s all-time list, while his winning percentage is ranked 3rd. His 939 overall wins ranks 6th of all active baseball coaches in the Iowa HS Baseball Coaches Association.

Laird has coached 106 all-conference players, 22 all-Americans, and 11 conference MVPs. Nearly 40 former players have gone on to play professional baseball with three playing at the major league level. Laird has also produced numerous academic all-conference, all-region, and all-Americans. He has been named conference coach of the year 8 times, regional coach of the year, and finalist for National coach of the year. Laird-coached teams have won 11 conference championships at Penn. In 2010 he was awarded the Midwest Collegiate Conference Coach of Character.

He resides near Oskaloosa with his wife, Victoria, who is the Director of Visual Arts at Penn, and four golden retrievers. Mike and Victoria have five children: Ian, Sierra, Kara, Leah, and Aaron.

Robin Rich came from the small community of Kinross, IA and played basketball for English Valley where she was a starter in the guard court in Iowa’s famous six-on-six basketball. For her collegiate career, she made the major jump to one of the nation’s premier women’s basketball programs at William Penn and ended her career as one of Penn’s leading scorers and rebounders.

Rich committed to the Statesmen during Penn’s run to a national title in 1981 under then coach Bob Spencer. She arrived on campus to be greeted by a new coach, Sally Leyse. The following year came another coaching change with Garey Smith and Rich quickly developed into a consistent scorer and defensive player.

Rich currently is 13th in career scoring (1,281 points), averaging 13.9 points per game through 92 varsity games, sixth in free throw percentage at .770 (315-of-409), and eighth in career rebounds with 676. She ranks 7th at 18.2 points per game and 10th in rebounding at nine per game. Her 21 rebounds against Fresno State (and former Penn coach Bob Spencer) during the 83-84 season is the second highest in school history and the rebound game against Mt. Marty in 84-85 ranks eighth highest today. In that 21 rebound game against Fresno State Rich had a career high 26 points.

Rich played in three national tournaments with teams that won or shared three conference titles and earned multiple All-Conference, All Tournament and All-American honors.

Rich become Robin Rich-Taylor when she married fellow Penn student Tom Taylor (’83). They have been married 28 years and have five children and two grandchildren. Son Ben is a 2012 graduate of William Penn, daughter-in-law Lacey is a senior, and son Sam is a sophomore.

Rich has supervised home school students through the Eddyville-Blakesburg Schools for 23 years where she has coached softball, volleyball, and basketball. She currently coaches volleyball and JV basketball coach and is teaching the William Penn ball handling drill to another generation of basketball players.