St. Ambrose will welcome Joe Demory (men's golf), Jennifer Goetz (women's basketball), Michael Hayward (football) and Mike Kennedy (men's basketball) into its Athletic Hall of Fame on Thursday, Sept. 15, 2022, as part of Homecoming Weekend. The four will comprise the 32nd class of inductees into the University's Athletic Hall of Fame.
Joe Demory was the first two-time All-American men's golfer in school history, earning the honor in both 2004 and 2005. He fired a final-round 3-under 69 to finish fifth overall at the 2004 NAIA Championships, tying Josh Nelson (2000) for the best finish at nationals by a Bee at the time. He led St. Ambrose to a third-place team finish that year, the program's best national showing. Demory placed 15th at the 2003 Championships and was 18th in 2005.
A four-time all-conference selection, Demory holds several school records, including most wins in a season (six) and low scoring average (70.45), both set in 2005. He set school and Midwest Classic Conference 36-hole scoring records with a 9-under 135 (67-68) at the 2004 MCC Championships. His 209 (72-69-68) at the 2003 D.A. Weibring Intercollegiate remains the program's best 54-hole total. After graduating from St. Ambrose in 2005, he played professionally for more than two years on various tours. Demory returned to coach the SAU women's golf team from 2019-2021.
Jennifer Goetz was named a Second Team Women's Basketball All-American in 2007 after receiving All-America honorable mention in both 2005 and 2006. A three-time first team all-conference selection and the 2007 Midwest Collegiate Conference Player of the Year, Goetz is just one of five players to record more than 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds at St. Ambrose. She is fifth on the school's all-time scoring list with 2,032 points and third in career rebounding with 1,156 boards. She is also fifth in career blocked shots (113).
A member of the Iowa Girls Basketball High School Athletic Union (IGHSAU) Hall of Fame after also posting more than 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds at Cardinal Stritch High School, Goetz was part of two St. Ambrose teams that won conference championships and qualified for NAIA National Tournaments. That included the 2006-07 team, which went 26-7 overall and a perfect 14-0 in MCC play. After graduating from St. Ambrose in 2007, Goetz remained at SAU as a graduate assistant coach for two seasons, helping the 2008 squad reach the second round of the National Tournament.
Michael Hayward was a two-position standout for the St. Ambrose football team from 2007-2010. He primarily made his mark as a wide receiver, earning Mid-States Football Association Midwest League Player of the Year honors from the position in both 2008 and 2010. He also earned All-American recognition those two seasons, garnering first team honors in 2008 and second team accolades in 2010. His 239 career receptions are most in program history, and he sits second in school history in both career receiving yards (3,233) and touchdown receptions (33).
Rated the NAIA's top receiver entering the 2009 season, Hayward shifted to quarterback, where he earned all-conference honorable mention after throwing for 2,411 yards and 19 touchdowns. The three-year team captain also served as the starting punter in 2007 and 2009. Hayward, a 2011 graduate of St. Ambrose, helped the Bees reach the NAIA Playoffs in 2007 and 2008.
Mike Kennedy was one of the most prolific scorers in St. Ambrose men's basketball history. He is the only player in program history to twice be named an NAIA First Team All-American, accomplishing the feat following the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons. Kennedy was named the Midwest Collegiate Conference Player of the Year in both 2011 and 2012, and earned first team all-MCC honors in each of his four years with the Bees. As a senior in 2012, he led St. Ambrose to the NAIA National Tournament.
Kennedy finished his SAU career with 2,266 points, good for third on the school's all-time scoring list. He scored a career-best 41 points against William Penn in 2011 and had five career games of at least 35 points. His 950 career rebounds are fourth in program history. Kennedy graduated from St. Ambrose in 2013.
