Academy officials announce second hall of fame class

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U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AFNS) --  Air Force Academy officials have announced the second class for induction into the Air Force Academy Athletic Hall of Fame. The six inductees -- Jim Bowman, Callie Calhoun Molloy, Dee Dowis, Terry Isaacson, Ernie Jennings and Ben Martin -- will be inducted May 8 at the Air Force Academy Falcon Club.

The six inductees represent a former athletic coach and administrator, a track and cross country multiple All-American, two of the football program's most decorated performers, a multiple-sport standout and a former coach who held one of the longest tenures in Air Force history. 

Jim Bowman first came to the Academy in 1958 as a physical education instructor. He was named head junior varsity football coach in 1960. He led the junior varsity for four years before taking over the freshman team and working as the associate athletic director for recruiting support. Mr. Bowman coached the freshmen until 1975 when he went back to the junior varsity head post. After the 1975 season, he stepped down from coaching to devote his full duties to recruiting support, where he served until his retirement in 2007.  In his five seasons as the junior varsity head coach, Mr. Bowman compiled a 24-4-1 record, with his 1963 and 1975 teams going undefeated. In his 11 seasons as the freshman coach, Mr. Bowman led the squad to a 37-28 mark. During his tenure at the Academy, he was a part of the athletic staff that led the Falcons to 17 postseason bowl games. In 2001, Mr. Bowman was inducted into the Colorado Springs Sports Hall of Fame as part of the 1958 Cotton Bowl team. 

Callie Calhoun Molloy, a 1991 Academy graduate, is one of the most decorated female athletes in Academy history. She is a five-time NCAA Division II track and field national champion -- 3,000-meter run, 5,000-meter run, 10,000-meter run -- and won the 1990 NCAA Division II cross country national championship. She is an eight-time track and field All-American and three-time cross country All-American. In addition, she was the team captain of both squads and a two-time track team MVP, as well as a 1991 NCAA Academic All-American. She is still the school record-holder in the 3,000-meters -- indoor and outdoor -- the 5,000-meters -- indoor and outdoor -- and the 10,000-meters. In 2001, she was inducted into the NCAA Division II track and field hall of fame. Ms. Molloy is also the younger sister of Air Force head football coach Troy Calhoun.

Dee Dowis is a 1990 graduate of the Academy and was a three-year starter at quarterback for the Falcons. He was a finalist for the 1989 Heisman Trophy award, awarded to college football's best player. His sixth-place finish is the highest of any Falcon ever. Mr. Dowis also was awarded the Downtown Athletic Club's Exemplary Player Award in 1989. Mr. Dowis earned honorable mention All-American honors in 1989 while being named the Western Athletic Conference's offensive player of the year. In 1989, he became the fifth player in NCAA history to rush and pass for more than 1,000 yards in the same season while leading Air Force to a Liberty Bowl appearance. He scored a school-record six touchdowns and rushed for a then-school record 249 yards vs. San Diego State in 1989. 

Terry Isaacson, who is a retired Air Force colonel, is the Academy's only three-time wrestling All-American, earning the honors from 1962-64. He was the NCAA runner-up at 167 pounds in 1962. In addition to his wrestling accolades, Colonel Isaacson was a three-year football letterman and led the team in rushing in 1961 and 1963 and in passing and total offense in '62 and '63. He recorded 1,747 yards of total offense as a senior in 1963 while serving as the team captain. He also led the team in punting during the 1962 and '63 seasons. Colonel Isaacson was named the Air Force Academy male athlete of the year in 1964 and was recognized as a Helms Football Foundation All-American in football in 1963. 

Ernie Jennings is widely known as the best receiver to ever play at the Academy and was regarded as one of the top wide outs in college football in the early '70s. He is one of Air Force's five consensus football All-Americans, earning the honor in 1970. He still holds single-game school records for catches with 15 vs. Wyoming in 1969 and for receiving yards with 235 vs. the Cowboys the following year. His 74 catches for 1,289 yards in 1970 are still single-season Academy records. He is the Air Force career record-holder for pass receptions (148), receiving yardage (2,392), touchdown catches (43), kickoff returns (43) and kickoff return yardage (1,053). He was the first Falcon to finish as a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, finishing eighth in 1970. Mr. Jennings was the Air Force male athlete of the year in 1971. 

Ben Martin, known as the father of Air Force football, coached the Falcons from 1958-77. He was 96-103-9 during his 20-year tenure, which is the second-longest in school history. Mr. Martin led the Falcons to a pair of New Year's Day bowl games, the only two in school history. His 1958 team is the only undefeated team in school history, finishing the year at 9-0-2 and earning a trip to the 1959 Cotton Bowl where it tied TCU, 0-0. The '58 squad featured the school's first consensus All-American, Brock Strom, and helped put the fledgling Falcons on the national map. The school had not even graduated a class when Mr. Martin took over, and his nine wins are tied for the most by a first-year coach in school history. Mr. Martin also led the Falcons to the 1971 Sugar Bowl, defeating the likes of nationally ranked Missouri and Stanford during the 1970 season. Mr. Martin passed away in July 2004. 

Click here to view additional notes on each of the six inductees

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