WALL OF FAME MEMBERS

If you were to ask anyone who ever played soccer with or against John Mazzola what his best attribute was, you'd probably hear remarks like: “he played with a lot of heart” or “he worked hard all of the time” or “he was dominant in the air” or “he had great vision.” But the one remark that probably best sums up John Mazzola as a soccer player is one made by former teammate Bruce Erickson, who said: “John is the epitome of tenacious on the field.”

It was at the exact time that Mazzola first put on a Viterbo soccer uniform that the V-Hawks started having great success. In his four years at Viterbo College, the V-Hawks amassed a record of 53-20-6 and accomplished what no other team had done before; win the NAIA District 14 championship.

While the team enjoyed great success from 1986-89 with Mazzola in the starting lineup, the defender from Peoria, Ill., enjoyed personal success as well.

In 1986 and 1987, Mazzola received 2nd Team All-Conference honors. In the 1988 NAIA District 14 championship year, Mazzola received All-District honors, as well as Northwestern All-Tournament honors.

He finished his career at Viterbo on a high note, earning NAIA All-District honors his senior year (1989).

When Tiffany Orwan transferred to Viterbo College from Buena Vista College (Iowa) in 1988, Coach Sonny Calvetti knew he had a special player.

Not only did she possess the skills that helped Viterbo College women's volleyball become a Midwest power, Orwan was also an “exceptional person.”

“Tiffany was a good athlete who put in the extra time in the gym and in the weight room,” Calvetti said. “She was very focused, and her leadership was a big part of Viterbo's success. Tiffany put her heart and soul into everything and her work ethic was second to none.”

And that work ethic paid off for Orwan.

In her three seasons as a V-Hawk, Orwan was a member of conference championship teams all three years. As a junior, she helped lead the V-hawks into the NAIA District 14 finals.

Personally, Orwan garnered many honors and awards as an outstanding setter for the V-Hawks. As a junior, she received 1st Team All-Conference honors. And as a senior, Orwan received 1st Team All-Conference and NAIA All-District honors.

For her considerable talents on and off the volleyball court, and her unselfish leadership, Tiffany Orwan has earned a spot on the Viterbo College “Wall of Fame.”

Rod Popp probably said it best in 1991 when he called Wayne Wagner “one of the consummate athletes in today's small college athletic scene … An excellent student and a dual-sport athlete, a fine young man.”

From the day he stepped foot in the Student Activities Center gym, Wayne Wagner was an important part of the V-Hawks' puzzle, not only as a scorer, but also as a team leader. In his time at Viterbo, Wagner helped the V-Hawks achieve great success.

Although his freshman year ended after only three games due to an injury, Wagner came back and proved he was better than ever the next year, playing in all 32 of the V-Hawks' games and averaging 7.0 points a game.

The forward from Marshfield, WI, became a true team leader his sophomore year, helping Viterbo to a 28-5 record. He then averaged 13.8 and 10.8 points a game, respectively, his junior and senior seasons.

Wagner received numerous awards for his abilities, including 2nd Team All-Conference and Academic All-American honors his junior year, and 1st Team All-Conference and NAIA All-District honors as a senior.

Wagner also excelled in baseball. As a two-year (1991, 1992) starting outfielder on the V-Hawks baseball team, Wagner had a career batting average of .295 for Viterbo.