The West Iron County Wall of Fame committee is proud to announce the eight newest members of the Wall of Fame. The West Iron County Wall of Fame has been established to honor past distinguished graduates, community members, athletes, and others who have been contributors to life in the general West Iron County geographical area, including the former Stambaugh, Bates, and Iron River school systems. The Wall of Fame Class of 2024 represents that geographical area very well. The newest members will be honored at their induction in September.
The West Iron County Wall of Fame Class of 2024 (alphabetical order)
Jamie Angeli
A 1980 graduate of West Iron County, Angeli is internationally known as an author, speaker, coach, and entrepreneur. He has coached at the high school, college, and professional levels. He is currently Associate Director of Athletics at The City College of New York.
Jay Barry
A 1959 graduate of Iron River High School, Barry is well-known as the “dean” of sports broadcasting and sports writing in the Iron County area. He spent 44 years at WIKB Radio in Iron River and was the host of the “Telephone Time” radio show there, now broadcast worldwide on the internet.
Nick Baumgartner
A 2000 graduate of West Iron County, Baumgartner competes in snowboard cross (SBX) and qualified for the 2010 Winter Olympics. He won the gold and silver medals in the 2011 and 2012 Winter X Games. Baumgartner competed in the 2014 Winter Olympics and won his first Olympic gold at the age of 40 in the 2022 Winter Olympics when he and teammate Lindsey Jacobellis won the inaugural Olympic mixed snowboard cross race.
Frank Kopenski
A 1948 graduate of Iron River High School, Kopenski was a Korean War veteran. He was an all-state football player at Iron River who then went on to an illustrious career for 54 years at Marquette University High School in Milwaukee as a coach and ground-breaking educator there. Kopenski passed away in 2022.
Yvonne Kralovec
A 1958 graduate of Stambaugh High School, Mrs. Kralovec coached girls’ basketball for 42 years. She coached at the elementary, middle school, and high school levels in the local schools and Community Schools. She helped found the West Iron County High School girls’ basketball team in 1974. She was also well-known in local softball and bowling circles. Mrs. Kralovec passed away in 2009.
Don McDonald
A 1944 graduate of Iron River High School, McDonald served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He spent three years as West Iron County football coach (17-6-1) and was U.P. football coach of the year in 1963 at Stambaugh High school. He helped steer the consolidation of Stambaugh and Iron River schools and helped to come up with the school nickname (Wykons). McDonald passed away in 2022.
Jan Quarless
A 1969 graduate of West Iron County, Dr. Quarless was an All-U.P. football player at West Iron in 1969 and a four-year football letterman at Northern Michigan University, and is an inductee into the U.P. Sports Hall of Fame. For 27 years, Jan Quarless was a college football coach at seven NCAA Division 1 schools. He was offensive line coach for the Rhein Fire in NFL Europe in 2005. He then completed his PhD and served at various K-12 school systems.
Albert Rizzardi
A 1934 graduate of Stambaugh High School, Rizzardi won nine varsity letters at Hillsdale College in the 1930s after playing at Stambaugh High. He was team captain and an All-American as a senior on an undefeated Hillsdale grid team and ranked among the state scoring leaders on the basketball team. He also had a tryout with the Philadelphia Phillies baseball club. Rizzardi passed away in 1995.