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Aggie Sports
This department contains multiple stories. Please make a selection:
› NMSU inducts three into Athletics Hall of Fame
› Rider Krystal Mack wins second Cacchione Cup
› Aggie men's basketball makes u-turn
› Aggie Baseball vs. Alumni
› 2006 Football and Volleyball Schedules
NMSU inducts three into Athletics Hall of Fame By Tyler Dunkel
Citizen’s Bank/NMSU Athletics Hall of Fame 2006 inductees, from left, Don Yannessa, Dan Koesters and Thomas Erhard were honored at the Pan American Center in February. Courtesy Photo
The New Mexico State Athletics Department inducted three new honorees into the Citizen’s Bank/NMSU Athletics Hall of Fame in February – former football player Don Yannessa, men’s golfer Dan Koesters and long-time public address announcer Thomas Erhard.

Yannessa started on the Aggie offensive line for three years from 1959-61 and played on both NMSU Sun Bowl championship teams, helping to beat North Texas in 1959 and Utah State in 1960. He graduated from NMSU in 1963 with a bachelor’s degree in education. He returned to his native Pennsylvania after graduation and taught English and embarked on a very successful football coaching career.

The seven-time Section Coach of the Year, four-time WPIAL Coach of the Year and 1985 Pennsylvania AAA Coach of the Year has a career record of 230-107-7 and had 28 winning seasons.

Koesters was a four-year letterman for the NMSU Men’s Golf Team. He played under head coach Herb Wimberley where he earned First Team All-Missouri Valley Conference honors in 1980 and 1981. He also helped lead the Aggie Golf Team to consecutive MVC championships in 1980 and 1981. He spent the 1985 season on the Tournament Players Series of the PGA Tour, which is today known as the Nationwide Tour.

Switching his focus to coaching, Koesters worked as the head golf coach at the University of Idaho in 1994-95 and Washington State University from 1996-98. He is in his eighth year as the director of golf at the NMSU Golf Course.

Erhard served as the public address voice for Aggie football and men’s basketball for 30 years. His distinguished voice was always a part of the athletic experience and recognized by Aggie fans, visiting fans, coaches and officials alike. Erhard started as the Aggies’ announcer in 1960 and continued until 1990, after which he assisted off and on until 1994.

Erhard also served as a faculty member in the Department of English and won numerous awards for his teaching and writing.
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