MIAMI — Expanding on a legacy that started 38 years ago with the employment of Glen Wolfe as head football coach, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College will honor his achievements at 4 p.m. Saturday with the naming of the Glen Wolfe Student Activity Center.
Wolfe, a member of the NEO Athletic Hall of Fame, passed away Sept. 29, 2015 at the age of 75. Expected to attend the ceremony will be his wife, Elaine and their son Mike along with other family members. Youngest son Greg, was killed in March, 2016, in an accident in Florida.
During his 12-year career with the Golden Norsemen Wolfe's teams competed as an independent and won two National Junior College Athletic Association National Championships while appearing in nine post-season bowl games.
Wolfe guided the 1978 Golden Norsemen to a 7-2-1 overall record in his first season. Players Sherdeill Breathett (linebacker), Steve Murphy (free safety), Everett DeVeaux (fullback) and Harmon Welsh (offensive guard) earned NJCAA all-American honors.
NEO finished 8-2 in 1979 and participated in the post-season Kansas Rodeo Bowl in Arkansas City, Kansas. NEO rallied for a 30-24 victory over Scottsdale, Arizona while Bruce Scott (offensive guard) and Al Della Porta (noseguard) were selected all-Americans.
The Golden Norsemen posted a perfect 10-0 record while winning the 1980 national championship. NEO defeated Kilgore (Texas) College, 21-14, in the Garland Texas Chamber of Commerce Bowl. The team featured all-American players James Brinkley (linebacker), Mike Furnas (offensive guard), Duane Gunn (wide receiver) and Rickey Greene (Cornerback).
After finishing the 1981 regular season undefeated and ranked No. 1, the Golden Norse missed an opportunity to repeat as national champions following a 21-14 upset loss to Butler County, Kansas in a return trip to the Arkansas City Rodeo Bowl. The loss left NEO 9-1 on the season. Future Atlanta Falcon and Dallas Cowboy defensive back Scott Case along with quarterback Tod Weder and Rickey Greene were named all-American recipients.
A 7-0 loss to Tyler, Texas in the second game of 1982 kept Wolfe's Norsemen from annexing their third national crown. NEO defeated Kilgore, Texas, 13-0, in the Garland, Texas Bowl to finish 9-1 overall. All-American members of the team were David Webb (linebacker), Dale Lewis (defensive tackle), Corey Cooper (free safety) and Mark Ritchey (kicker).
During the 1983 campaign, Wolfe guided the Golden Norse to an 8-1-1 record. The tie was a 13-13 regular season deadlock with Eastern Arizona. NEO defeated Henderson County, Texas (currently Trinity Valley) 11-10 in their third Garland Bowl. All-American Norsemen were Jerome Burgess (linebacker), Colice Powell (center), Chris Jones (defensive tackle) and James Lee (defensive end).
Despite playing two junior varsity teams, Wolfe's 1984 team finished 6-2-1 on the season and failed to play in a post-season bowl game. Three NEO players, Lee, Ed Fashaw (free safety) and Joey Howard (tight end) were named all-Americans.
Three junior varsitites (North Texas, Oklahoma State and the University of Tennessee) along wiith four Texas junior colleges comprised the majority of the 1985 campaign. After finishing 7-2-1 in the regular season, the Golden Norse dropped a 29-14 decision to Snow, Utah in the newly-formed Tulsa Mid-America Bowl. Norsemen named all-Americans were David Panter (offensive tackle), Steve Colwell (fullback) and Nathaniel Lewis (wide receiver).
Wolfe collected his second NJCAA National Championship trophy in 1986 following a perfect 11-0 record. The Golden Norsemen concluded the post-season with a 38-7 rout over Montgomery, Maryland in the Tulsa Mid-America bowl. Selected to the all-American team were John Boisvert (center) and Mark Price (linebacker).
NEO finished fourth in 1987after posting a 9-2 record under Wolfe. Returning for the fourth straight Mid-America Bowl in Tulsa, the Norsemen handed Hinds, Mississippi a 26-14 loss. Earning all-American honors were Roger Gibbs (offensive guard), Craig Anderson (cornerback), Richard Wales (linebacker) and Terrance Cummings (linebacker).
Once again in 1988, Wolfe's Golden Norse competed for a mythical national title against Less McRae, North Carolina in the Mid-America Bowl. NEO posted a 38-7 win over Lees-McRae, to finish 9-1, but Glendale, Arizona annexed the NJCAA title. A record seven Golden Norse were named all-Americans including Bobby Wilson (defensive end), Troy Newton (offensive guard), Bobby Rowland (cornerback), Vaughn Dunbar (fullback), Greg Holmes (linebacker), Mike Martin (offensive guard) and Freddy Smith (cornerback).
After a 31-14 loss to Navarro, Texas, the Norsemen lost to Dixie, Utah, 42-21, in the 1989 Dixie Rotary Bowl to finish 9^th nationally with at 8-2 record. Norse named all-Americans were Brian Bobo (offensive guard), Jackie Hood (quarterback), Jace Seals (kicker), Shane May (punter), Dewayne Simmons (linebacker) and Chuck Smith (defensive end).
Squaring off in a rematch against Lees-McRae in the 1990 Tulsa Mid-American Bowl, the Golden Norsemen gained a 36-7 victory. NEO finished ranked fourth in the nation with an 8-2 record. Players selected all-Americans were Scott Crabtree (quarterback), Jeff Morrow (offensive tackle) and Tyrone Carrington (linebacker).0
Wolfe's coaching career on the junior college level also included a two-year stint (1991-92) as head coach at Georgia Military Academy in Milledgeville. He started the program from scratch and compiled a 5-6 overall record.
Under Wolfe's guidance the Golden Norsemen finished ranked as the NJCAA's No. 1 program during the decade of the 1980's with a 104.5 ranking.
Overall at the two-year level Wolfe compiled a 114-23-3 overall record which ranks fourth in the NJCAA in All-Time highest winning percentage with at least 100 games coached.
Under Wolfe's tutelage, the Golden Norsemen led the NJCAA during the decade of the 1980's with a 104.5 overall ranking.