SWIRE Coca-Cola Maverick Hall of Honor
2004 Inductees

William A. (Bill) Hanks - Bill Hanks graduated from Palisade High School in 1955 where he lettered in three sports - football, basketball, and baseball. He was named all conference football and basketball, all-state in basketball and a four year letter winner in baseball…He entered Mesa Junior College in 1955 and transferred spring of 1957 to Colorado State University to accept a football scholarship. He earned a B.S. in Health and Physical Wellness in 1960 and a M.A. in Biological Science in 1964…While at Mesa Junior College he lettered in three sports and was a starter in football and basketball for two years. He was named to the Empire All-Conference football team and the JUCO All-American team as an alternate. He CO-captained the undefeated 1956 football team…At Colorado State University, Bill was a two-year starter and was awarded the Best Offensive Lineman trophy. He was named to the Skyline All-Conference team and was selected to play in the First Annual All Star Copper Bowl Classic in Phoenix. Bill was also named to the All-American Sigma Chi Football Team in 1958…Bill has had a long and successful career in teaching and in coaching. After coaching at CSU as a graduate assistant, he was an assistant coach at Longmont and Fort Collins High Schools. His head coaching career took him to Grand Junction Central, Canon City and then to Roaring Fork High school where he retired in 1993. Bill had a coaching record of 65-25 with one state championship. He was named Conference Coach of the Year three times and Colorado Class A Coach of the year in 1974 and coached the North team in the All-State game…Bill helped found the Bus Bergman Baseball Foundation, which established a scholarship fund and an endowment fund as part of the Mesa State Foundation…In addition to coaching and teaching science for 32 years, he was part-time Community Recreation Director for 15 years in the Carbondale area. Other positions held were President of the Roaring Ford Education Association, President of the Northwest Basketball Officials Association and Commissioner of officials. He also received the Colorado Education Association Lion Award…Bill and his wife Peggy live on the Crystal River near Redstone, CO. They have two adult children, Jill and husband, John, from Olathe, and Chris, Mesa State's head baseball coach, and his wife, Nikki.

Lari Mertens - Lari Mertens began his wrestling career in the seventh grade at Merino, Colorado, under the coaching of Everett Thorpe. His early beginnings paved the way to an extremely successful high school wrestling career at Merino High School. He not only excelled in wrestling, but in football and track as well. In 1979 he placed in the top three rankings in the state shot-put, the discus, and the 880 relay. That same year he was on the All State Football team and placed third in the 185 pound bracket in the State wrestling championship. Lari ended his high school career in 1980 by winning the state heavy weight wrestling championship…Lari attended Mesa State College 1980-1984, participating in football his first year and in wrestling all four years. In 1984, going in to the NAIA tournament with a 19-5 record and boasting conference championships two years in a row, Lari won the NAIA wrestling championship in the 190 pound division. Under Ed Tooker's coaching, Lari not only excelled on the wrestling mat (National Champion and two-time conference champion), but he was also honored by being named Academic All American in 1984…From 1984 to the present Lari has been president of the Mertens' farms and for the past 18 years has coached the Merino Junior High wrestling teams. His desire to contribute extends to his willingness to volunteer for many civic organizations which include the Willard Fire Department, the Elks Club, as to serve as trustee for the Zion United Church of Christ. Lari's interests include SCUBA, fishing, hiking, biking, woodworking, skiing and traveling…Lari lives in Sterling with his wife, Lois Christiansen and children Will, 6, and Brooke 2.