Hall of Fame - Athletes

1981

DENNIS WERNIMONT

Iowa

Basketball, Track - Iowa, Gallaudet, Council Bluffs, WGD

Dennis Wernimont is one of the greatest deaf athletes to have graced the Iowa School for the Deaf and had scored more points in his career than any other high school player in Omaha-Council Bluffs history. He has been named Player of the Year among national schools for the deaf twice. The Carroll, Iowa basketball player has a four-year scoring mark of 1,807 points.

Dennis starred at the Iowa school for the Deaf in the years 1953-1957, playing three major sports: football, track and basketball. While in high school, he was a 6' 2" athlete and weighed 170 pounds.

In track he was a State Class B champion in the 220- and 440-yard dashes, setting Deaf American prep records in both events with times of 23.1 and 52.6. He was chosen to represent the 1957 USA track and field team at Milan, Italy and set a new Deaf World Record of 49.7 by out-running the 440-meter run champion from Denmark. He also took the bronze medal in the 220-meter run in 23.0, silver medal in the 1,600-meter relay and took the gold medal in the 400-meter relay.

In basketball, he was called “Mr. Basketball in the Omaha-Council Bluffs Area” and leaves at least four records in the wake of the most blistering basket pace in metropolitan history. His marks were most points in a career - 1,807; most points in one season - 692; best average per year over four seasons - 451.75 and best average per game in one season - 27.6 (1955-56).

After a stint with Gallaudet College, he led his basketball team Council Bluffs Association of the Deaf to six consecutive trips to the American Athletic Association of the Deaf (AAAD) Nationals by winning the Midwest Athletic Association of the Deaf (MWAAD) Championships. His team won the AAAD Nationals in 1962, and he was voted as AAAD's Most Valuable Player. He was also the Most Valuable Player in the MWAAD tournament for four consecutive years, was selected to the all-star teams six times, and set individual records of one game of 59 points and 112 for three games. He was voted to the AAAD All-Star Team five times and was chosen to play basketball on the 1961 AAAD team in the International Games for the Deaf in Helsinki, Finland, where he, of course, returned home with another gold medal.