Rhoads Accepts Alumni Honor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Iowa State head football coach Paul Rhoads accepted the highest award given to an alumnus of Missouri Western State University Wednesday. Rhoads was honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award that recognizes living Missouri Western alumni for their career and professional achievement; civic contributions within their local community, state or nation; service to Missouri Western University, and other qualities which elicit pride from others who attended the University.

Rhoads had been recognized as an honoree but, as Iowa State's head coach, was unable to attend last fall's ceremony. He accepted the award at the Missouri Western State University/St. Joseph News-Press Student-Athlete Honors Banquet at the Fulkerson Center on the MWSU campus.

Rhoads earned a bachelor's degree in economics in 1989 at Missouri Western and was the recipient of the Chris Faros Scholarship, which honors the football team's top senior student-athlete. He began his coaching career at Missouri Western the same season.

“It is truly humbling to come back to a place where you spent your formative years,” Rhoads told the gathered crowd. “Like most people, I have good memories of my time there, including meeting Vickie.”

Vickie Rhoads played basketball at Missouri Western and graduated in 1991 with a degree in exercise science. She accompanied coach Rhoads to the ceremony.

Rhoads was honored for his contributions as a student-athlete and his accomplishments as a college football coach including leading the Cyclones to the 2009 Insight Bowl title and notching victories at Nebraska in 2009 and Texas in 2010. Rhoads has been active in the community, including supporting the Greater Iowa Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.

Iowa State University Athletics

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