SPORTS Wimbledon winner joins elite group of former Broncos

oise State can boast a handful of Playing in only their second tourna- He began playing professionally B athletes who have entered the ment together, the pair began their after completing his eligibility at professional ranks and then have gone march to tennis’ most prestigious dou- Boise State and became the first on to reach the pinnacle of their ble title with wins in two qualifying Bronco to play at sport. matches just to get into Wimbledon’s Wimbledon, quali- In 1984 Dee Pickett, who played opening round. They then went on to fying for the sin- quarterback for the Bronco football upset four ranked teams in the five gles competition in team in 1976 and ’77, captured the rounds in which they played to reach 2003 and ’04. He world title in team roping and was the finals. In the semifinals Moodie failed to qualify for named the Professional Rodeo and Huss beat the world’s top-ranked Wimbledon’s 2005 Cowboys Association all-around world doubles team of Max Mirnyi and Jonas singles champion. And in 1995 Troy Kemp, a Bjorkman to advance to the champi- draw, two-time track All-American who com- onship match. Their triumph in the but peted for BSU from 1984 to ’88, won finals marked the first time in the teamed the men’s high jump at the World tournament’s long history that a men’s with Moodie (far left)

WIMBLEDON WEB SITE and Huss with Track and Field Championships. In doubles team came from the qualify- Huss, a their Wimbledon football there’s Markus Koch, a three- ing rounds to claim the championship. former trophies and in time All-America defensive lineman for “We went into each match saying, team- the title match. BSU from 1982 to ’85 who was a mem- ‘How far can we go in this tourna- mate ber of the Washington Redskins’ Super ment?’ Moodie told the media after at Auburn, in a bid to qualify for the Bowl XXII championship team in 1988. the title match. “I guess we can go doubles bracket after they won a Now you can add Wesley Moodie to pretty far.” minor circuit event earlier in the year. that short but illustrious list. Moodie, a native of South Africa, Since his improbable win at Earlier this year Moodie, an All- competed for the Boise State tennis Wimbledon, Moodie, 26, has rapidly American on the Bronco tennis team team from fall 1998 through spring ascended the Association of Tennis in 1999 and 2000, and his doubles 2000 after transferring from Auburn. Professionals singles rankings. A victo- partner Stephen Huss surprised the During his junior and senior years ry in the Japan Open finals in October tennis world when they captured the at Boise State, he helped lead the rocketed him up 41 places on the ATP Wimbledon men’s doubles champi- Broncos to back-to-back Big West rankings to a career-high of 57. onship, defeating second-seeded championships and into the first Pickett, Kemp and Koch would no Americans Bob and Mike Bryan in four round of the NCAA Tournament each doubt be impressed. sets (7-6, 6-3, 6-7, 6-3). year. — Bob Evancho Korey Hall helps build football program in more ways than one C onstruction management student him the resident expert on the indoor “It was pretty neat to be able to be a and Bronco starting linebacker field, and that he’s fielded many ques- part of something like that,” Hall says. Korey Hall spent his summer vacation tions from his teammates on the “All my teammates kept asking me working on a project that is very close progress of the facility. how it was going. It’s unusual to get to his heart. work experience on a project that is so As an intern for McAlvain personal.” Construction, Hall helped build the Hall said his first internship gave Caven-Williams Sports Complex. him a wide range of experiences. He The new indoor practice facility, worked as an assistant to project super-

located next to Bronco Stadium, is LEANDRA ABURUSA-LETE. intendent Mike Wilson, doing every- expected to be completed in February. thing from analyzing plans to setting Hall, the Broncos’ co-captain and forms and pouring concrete. “I guess I leading tackler at the mid-point of the did a little bit of everything,” he says. season, says his summer job has made Hall (left) and project manager Wilson. — Margaret Scott

FOCUS FALL 2005 13