Celebrating and Supporting our Student-Athletes Successes On and Off the Field

Hello Vandal Family, Today, on Veterans Day, our nation and the Vandal family honors those men and women who have served our nation. Vandal alums have valiantly supported our country in its time of need and will continue to do so into the future. There are too many stories to highlight in just one note. But, on Veterans Day, I wanted to highlight several special stories, share some background on a very meaningful campus memorial and invite you to help veterans attend Vandal athletic events. Go Vandals! Mahmood U. Sheikh Associate Athletic Director/Development & VSF Exec. Director University of Idaho

Send a Veteran to a Vandal Game

Donate a Vandal Ticket to a Veteran On our nation's 100th Veteran's Day, you're invited to make a donation to fund a game ticket for a veteran to attend a Vandal athletic event. A $13.00 donation provides one ticket to a veteran. All proceeds from this program will be used to purchase tickets for veterans to Vandal events. Send a Veteran to a Vandal Game

"Mem Gym" Serves as On-Campus Memorial for Idahoan Veterans

Commonly known as "Mem Gym," the Memorial Gymnasium was built as a memorial to all Idahoans who lost their lives in World War I, 1914-1918. In its past, the building served as a sports arena and physical education venue seating 2,500 as well the venue for U of I commencements and other events. Now, it is the oldest athletic building on campus, with construction completed in 1928 in a collegiate gothic style of its era. The building was designed by U of I faculty members and features many architectural quirks such as the leatherhead-footballer gargoyles that decorate its walls and windows. The building had an extensive west end addition and renovation in the early-1950s; received additional exterior masonry restoration and repair in 2009; and structural, seismic bracing and repair to the Mem Gym Tower in 2012. Mem Gym is concluding its first century as a visible memorial to those Vandals that have bravely served as our country and will continue as a central figure of our campus landscape and in the minds of Vandals everywhere. The university is preparing to build Idaho Central Credit Union Arena, a 4,200-seat facility that will become the new home of Vandals basketball (men's and women's) and is expected to open in time for the 2021–22 school year. The Mem will continue as the home of Vandal volleyball.

Current Vandal Veteran now Serves as Strength and Conditioning Coach

Vandal strength and conditioning coach, Isaac Wendt, is a native of Moscow, Idaho and a Vandal alumnus. Isaac also is a U.S. Army veteran.   Prior to his return to Moscow, Wendt served as non-commissioned officer in the U.S. Army, serving a parachute infantryman in the 82nd Airborne Division from 2005 to 2010. After his service Wendt discovered weightlifting and began to compete in 2014. In January of 2015, Isaac returned to the University of Idaho as a volunteer strength and conditioning coach. Today, he serves as the Vandal Head Swim & Dive Strength Coach, Assistant Football Strength Coach and Assistant Basketball Strength Coach. He also maintains a USA Weightlifting Sport Level 1 Performance Coach and USA Weightlifting Sport Level 2 Advanced Performance Coach certifications. Thank you for your service, Isaac.

WW II Veteran Andros Leads Vandals to Success in 1960's

Former Vandal head football coach Dee Andros brought the Idaho football program success in the early 1960's. Having been an offensive lineman at the University of Oklahoma from 1946-49, Andros played for the Sooners AFTER serving in World War II, where he served four years in the U.S. Marine Corps. A cook, he picked up a rifle and was awarded the Bronze Star and spent more than a month under heavy fire on the island of Iwo Jima. He was present at the famed moment when six Marines raised the American flag on Mount Suribachi. Our university was lucky to have Andros on campus as our head football coach from 1962-64. He took over in Moscow for Skip Stahley, who stepped down after eight seasons but remained as athletic director. The 1962 team was 2–6–1, but the following year, he led Idaho to its first winning season (5–4) in a quarter century. The tenth and final game in 1963 at Arizona State on November 23 was canceled, following the assassination of President Kennedy. The Vandals won their opener in 1964, but then lost four straight, the latter two were close ones to Oregon and Oregon State. The 10–7 loss to the Rose Bowl-bound Beavers in Corvallis came by a late third quarter OSU punt return. The Vandals rebounded and the next week won the Battle of the Palouse for the first time in a decade, defeating neighbor Washington State 28–13. The Cougars were led by first-year head coach Bert Clark, a former Sooner teammate. The Vandals split the final four games to finish at 4–6.

McNease Served as Both Vandal Head Football Coach and U.S. Veteran

Born in Raleigh, Mississippi, Y C McNease (pronounced Mac-Nee-See) graduated from Leland High School in Leland in 1956 and joined the U.S. Marines. After his three years of military service during the first decades of the Cold War, he attended junior college and transferred to Florida State, where he was on the roster for the 1961 and 1962 seasons as an end and center, and also played linebacker and fullback. This led to a career in coaching and eventually to the University of Idaho. He was named the head coach at Idaho in January 1968 at age 31, at an annual salary of $16,800. McNease succeeded Steve Musseau and placed a new emphasis on the passing game. In his first year at the helm, the 1968 Vandals were 5–5 and 3–1 in the Big Sky, capturing the Little Brown Stein with a 56-45 win over Montana and defeating Idaho State, 35-15.

Sandberg Brothers Leave Legacy Behind in Vandal Football Program

Corey and Dallas Sandberg are two brothers that have shared a unique story and endeared themselves amongst the fan favorites during their respective times on the Vandal football team. Older brother, Corey, had never played a game of organized football, but that wasn’t a deterrent to deciding to walk-on to the Idaho football team in 2011. The elder Sandberg was coming off of a nearly six-year stint in the United States Army. But he had already made up his mind before Sandberg even committed to the University of Idaho in 2009 that he was going to walk-on with Dallas wherever he decided to commit to play. Corey and Dallas Sandberg both joined the Idaho football team in 2011. Dallas enrolled in the spring after grayshirting during the 2010 season. “My biggest role model and hero is my older brother, Corey. He has taught me how to fight through adversity and has shown me how to be the best I can be,” Dallas said. “He is my biggest supporter on and off the field and he is the reason why I have achieved so much in my career.” I have attached one of their stories in the button below and encourage you to read about what these two men are about.

Football Player Has Eye on NFL, Helping Others

Go Vandals! Mahmood U. Sheikh Associate Athletic Director/Development & VSF Exec. Director University of Idaho